U-Pick Nearby
Illustration Satisfying to watch
Peel, core and slice an apple with one crank
The old-school gadget that turns a bag of picked apples into pie filling in minutes.
Apple gadgetsU-pick farms in Ames, IA
Ames has one U-pick farm on our map. Another 5 are within 25 miles. From Des Moines, IA, Ames lies roughly 29 miles to the north.
Ripe this week around Ames
Week of November 2 · updates automatically
- Apples Last weeks around Ames, typically through early November. 3 farms within 25 mi, closest: The Berry Patch (Nevada) (12 mi).
Based on the typical seasons for Iowa, adjusted for the local frost dates (last spring frost around April 26). A warm spring or a wet fall can shift picking by a week or more, so call ahead.
More U-pick farms around Ames
- 12 mi The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada ApplesBlackberriesBlueberriesCherriesPumpkinsRaspberriesStrawberriesVegetables
- 12 mi The Berry Patch Nevada Pumpkins
- 14 mi Center Grove Orchard Huxley ApplesPumpkinsCorn maze
- 14 mi Aaron and Jordan's Pumpkin Patch Boone Pumpkins
- 19 mi Iowa Orchard Granger Apples
U-pick around Ames
Within 25 miles of Ames there are 6 farms on our map in 5 towns. Among them: 5 pumpkin patches, 3 orchards with apples, 1 with strawberries, 1 with blueberries and 1 with blackberries. 3 of them list a website or Facebook page with current hours.
In Ames itself you'll find DeMoss Pumpkin Farm, with pumpkins. It sits on 106 South Dakota Avenue. When it has nothing ripe, the table below points to the nearest alternatives.
Closest farm for each crop
| Crop | Closest farm | Distance | Farms within 25 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkins | DeMoss Pumpkin Farm Ames | in town | 5 |
| Apples | The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada | 12 mi | 3 |
| Strawberries | The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada | 12 mi | 1 |
| Blueberries | The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada | 12 mi | 1 |
| Blackberries | The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada | 12 mi | 1 |
| Raspberries | The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada | 12 mi | 1 |
| Cherries | The Berry Patch (Nevada) Nevada | 12 mi | 1 |
| Corn maze | Center Grove Orchard Huxley | 14 mi | 1 |
What's usually ripe near Ames
- June: strawberries (1)
- July: strawberries (1), blueberries (1), blackberries (1), raspberries (1), cherries (1)
- August: blueberries (1), blackberries (1), raspberries (1)
- September: pumpkins (5), apples (3), blackberries (1), raspberries (1), corn maze (1)
- October: pumpkins (5), apples (3), corn maze (1)
Numbers in brackets are farms within 25 miles. Months follow the typical season in Iowa; each farm sets its own dates.
Ames picking calendar
In a typical year Ames sees its last frost around April 26 and the first one of fall around October 8. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for the farms.
| Crop | Typical season in Iowa | Daytime highs | Rainy days / month | Farms here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkins | September to October | 63–76 °F | 5 | 1 |
Late in the season it gets cool: October averages a high of 63 °F and a low of 39 °F near Ames.
Frost dates: median of NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals at the weather station closest to Ames, 4 miles away. The actual dates in Ames can shift by a few weeks from one year to the next.
Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals (average daily high; days with at least 0.1 inch of rain) at the station nearest Ames, 4 mi away.
Farmers markets nearby
- Ames Main Street Farmers Market Ames · 3 mi · Sat 8 AM–12:30 PM · May–Oct · SNAP/EBT
U-pick in nearby towns
- Nevada, IA 2 farms · 12 mi
Illustration U-pick farms in Ames: questions and answers
How many U-pick farms are in Ames, IA?
We know of one farm in Ames: DeMoss Pumpkin Farm. Within 25 miles there are 5 more.
What can you pick in Ames?
The farms here list pumpkins most often. Each farm posts its own picking days, and they change from year to year.
When is the last frost in Ames?
Around April 26 in a typical year, and the first fall frost comes around October 8. Both are median dates from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the weather station nearest Ames, so a given year can be a few weeks earlier or later.
Where is the closest pumpkin patch to Ames?
Right in Ames: DeMoss Pumpkin Farm. Within 25 miles we list 5 farms with pumpkins in total. The usual season in Iowa is September to October.
Where is the closest apple orchard to Ames?
The Berry Patch (Nevada) in Nevada, about 12 miles away in a straight line. Within 25 miles we list 3 farms with apples in total. The usual season in Iowa is September to October.
What is the nearest strawberry farm to Ames?
The Berry Patch (Nevada) in Nevada, about 12 miles away in a straight line. It's the only one we list within 25 miles. The usual season in Iowa is June to July.
Know a farm we don't list yet? Send us a tip, we update the list regularly.