Tomato U-Pick Orchards in Berkshire, Bucks and Oxfordshire in 2024, by county
Below are the PYO orchards and farms for tomatoes that we know of in this area. Not all areas have tomatoes orchards or farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!
Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!
PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.
Berkshire
-
Gray of Wokingham
- strawberries, raspberries, red and blackcurrants, gooseberries, beetroot,
broccoli, broad beans, carrots, cauliflowers, courgettes, marrows, onions, peas, potatoes, runner beans,
sprouts, tomatoes, rhubarb
Heathlands Road, Wokingham, RG40 3AN. Phone: 01189 785386. Email: info@graysfarm.co.uk. Open: May to October, Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm, until 8pm on Friday in June and July; CLOSED SUNDAYS (Check their websites for updates to hours. No entry charge - Just pay for what you pick. No need to book. Central Car Park - Toilets - Play Area - Picnic Areas - Farm Trail Click here for our harvest calendar. Directions: Leave Peach St Wokingham by Easthampstead Road At White Horse PH Turn right into Heathlands Road. Farm is 0.3m on R. Or leave Nine Mile Ride (B3430) opposite Ravenswood Centre. Farm 1 mile on Left. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Visa, Mastercard. Grays Farm is a family-run Pick Your Own farm with 65 acres of fruit and vegetables, all grown for flavour. Especially strawberries, raspberries and runner beans. The farm shop has farm grown soft fruits and vegetables, cream, free range eggs, cakes, preserves, pure fruit juices, honey, ices. Facilities: Plenty of parking, picnic area, easy access for disabled, toilets. NATIONAL PYO FARM OF THE YEAR WINNER 2013. Chertsey Show - Silver Salver winner 2013 for best crop. Our PYO & Farm Shop offers Strawberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries, Broad Beans, Rhubarb, Marrows, Courgettes, Cabbage, Broccoli/Calabrese, Cauliflowers, Carrots, Parsley, New Potatoes & Spinach. More crops will be available soon. We are pleased to announce that although the farm was sold to Wokingham Borough Council in 2014, we are continuing as tenants for several years to come. Please tell everyone that we have not gone, but are still very much in business.
GRAYS PICK YOUR OWN & FARM SHOPPYO CROPSMAYJUNEJULYAUGSEPTOCTBROAD BEANS RUNNER BEANS BEETROOT BROCCOLI/CALABRESE CABBAGE CARROTS CAULIFLOWER COURGETTES CURRANTS - BLACK CURRANTS - RED FRENCH BEANS GOOSEBERRIES MARROWS ONIONS PARSLEY POTATOES - NEW POTATOES - KEEPING RASPBERRIES PEAKRHUBARB SPINACH SPROUTS STRAWBERRIES SWEETCORN TOMATOES
(UPDATED: June 19, 2018, JBS) (UPDATED: 10 August 2013, from their website)
Buckinghamshire (Bucks)
- Calves
Lane Farm (Iver), (aka Copas Farms)- Apples, asparagus, beans, beets, blackberries,
broad beans, Christmas trees, cherries, corn (sweet), currants (red and black),
gooseberries, peas, plums, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes, other
vegetables
Billet Lane, Iver, Buckinghamshire, SL0 0LU. Phone: 01753 652727.Email: copasfarms@copasfarms.co.uk. or fruit@copasfarms.co.uk. Copas Farms operates two Pick Your Own farms which collectively extend to 83 acres. Directions: One is located on the outskirts of Cookham in Berkshire and the other at Iver, near Slough in Buckinghamshire. Directions to Calves lane farm Iver. Open: A wide range of fruit and vegetables are grown, the season beginning with asparagus in late April/early May and finishing with apples in September. Before you set out for it is advisable to telephone the 24-Hour in-season Message Line (outgoing message only) Tel: (01753) 652727. The Message Line will give up-to-date information, taking into account any variants on the standard Opening Times due to weather etc. Last entry for picking is ONE HOUR before closing. A minimum charge of £2 for Adults and £1 for Children(depending on availability of crops) is made to enter the PYO fields. This is only refundable off produce you pick yourself. School visits by appointment welcomed.
Oxfordshire
- Does anyone know of any tomato PYO's here? Write to me: Suggest a farm
Tomato Picking Tips, Recipes and Information
Pick tomatoes that are firm and free of blemishes. Cracking is common in very hot weather, especially after a rain, and if you intend to use the
tomatoes within 1 day, that will be ok.
During hot summer weather, pick the tomatoes when they have a healthy pink/red (or yellow or orange depending on the variety) color and let them finish the last day or two of ripening indoors. Tomatoes do not need to be in the sunlight in order to ripen. If you have green fruit on the plants in the fall when frost is approaching, pick the tomatoes and store them in a cool, dark place to ripen.
Tomato Varieties
In general paste or Roma-type tomatoes are the best to using for canning, as they have thicker, meatier walls and far less water. And cherry tomatoes are the worst to use, as they are mostly water. But you can use any type you can get hold of. You may just have to cook them down longer to boil off excess water. See our Master list of tomato varieties
Growing tomatoes
- Master list of tomato varieties
- Master List of Heirloom Tomato Varieties
- How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Yard or Patio - Everything you need to know
- Detailed directions to starting tomatoes from seed
- Master List of Roma and Paste Tomato Varieties for the Home Garden
- Master list of disease-resistant tomato varieties
- Tomato plant diseases
Canning, Freezing, Drying, Preserving Tomatoes and more!
Below are links to pages with easy and reliable directions about how to can, preserve, freeze and make other goodies from tomatoes. Some of these require a Pressure Canner to prevent potential spoilage and
food poisoning, due to the low acid content of the food. For others, you
can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner. I've noted what's
required for each, below, following each entry, with
W for water bath,
P for Pressure canner, and
W, P for either may be used!
And don't miss: Answers to common tomato canning problems and see this page about what to do with your unripe green tomatoes!
Prepping tomatoes
Canning tomatoes (in water bath canners )
- How to can tomatoes using a water bath canner - W
- Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
- Bruschetta - W
- Tomato sauce - W
- Tomato paste - W
- Barbecue sauce (BBQ sauce) - W
- Chili sauce from your own tomatoes and peppers - W
- Diced, chopped or crushed tomatoes - W
- Tomato Preserves- W
- Tomato salsa - W
- Spaghetti sauce - without meat - W, P
- Spiced Green tomatoes- W
- Pickled Green Tomatoes - W - another pickled green tomato recipe, this one sweet
- Ketchup.. or if you prefer... How to make catsup - W, P
- NEW! SUPER-EASY homemade ketchup recipe - W
- Salsa from your unripe, GREEN tomatoes! - W
- Tomatillo salsa - W
- How to make roasted tomatoes, boiling water bath canner version - W
Canning Tomatoes in Pressure canners
- Canned tomatoes using a Pressure Canner - P
- Baked Beans With Tomato or Molasses Sauce - P
- Canning your own chili con carne (with meat) - P
- How to make roasted tomatoes, pressure canner version - P
- Spaghetti sauce - with meat - P
- Stewed tomatoes - P
- Tomato soup or tomato-basil soup - P
- Tomato sauce - P
- Tomato juice - P
- Tomato juice, like V8 - P
Freezing Tomatoes
- How to freeze tomatoes from you garden or the farm; for that fresh taste this winter!
- Space-saving prepping and freezing extra tomatoes from your garden to can later
Drying tomatoes
- NEW! How to make Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Food drying basics and principles
- How to dry your own herbs
- Food Dehydrators - models, specs and pricing information
Ripening green tomatoes in your garage or basement
If you want to bring your green tomatoes indoors before a freeze in the Fall, and ripen them, see:
And if you'd like to start you own tomatoes from seed (you can save a small fortune and grow the heirloom varieties you like) see this page for easy directions for growing your own tomato plants from seed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Canning, Freezing and Preserving Tomatoes
Click here for farmshops in this area