2026: June Peas & Our Official U-Pick Kickoff in July
Summer is officially in full bloom here in Plover, Wisconsin, and our five acres of demonstration fields are buzzing with life. If you have driven past the center recently, you might have noticed how quickly things are changing out in the rows. Thanks to our growing degree days tracking well ahead of the 30-year average, our crops matured ahead of schedule, allowing us to host a surprise pop-up U-Pick event on June 23rd!
We were absolutely thrilled to welcome around 450 friends and neighbors out to the rows to kick off our very first pea harvest of the year. Seeing families explore the fields and pick fresh produce directly from the vine is exactly why these fields exist. Thank you to everyone who came out to make our early pea harvest such a massive success.
Our First Official U-Pick: Red Norland Potatoes
Mark your calendars. Our first official community U-Pick event of the season is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7th, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Our U-Pick events are free to attend, and we’ll be harvesting Red Norland potatoes: a beautifully smooth, red-skinned variety known for its incredible flavor and early-season maturity.
Since this marks our official summer season kickoff, we going to host an entire evening of farm fun. Bring the everyone down to enjoy a picnic atmosphere right alongside our crops:
Incredible Family Fun: A bounce house will be on-site for children to enjoy throughout the evening.
Concessions & Picnic Dinner: Enjoy a pulled pork sandwich, hand-dipped corn dog, or a local beer overlooking the fields. See the full menu in the event details.
Samples from the Kitchen Lab: Try something new and tasty made with the evening’s harvest!
Interactive Learning (New This Year!): Our talented education team will be out in the field facilitating specialized, interactive crop activities. Learn firsthand about the field science, tracking metrics, and soil management behind your fresh harvest.
See the full event details and to let us know you are coming.
Member Exclusive U-Pick Harvest
Monday, July 6 | 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
As a special thank you for your ongoing support, Food + Farm Members are invited to an exclusive early-access picking night the evening before the public event. Members are welcome to bring friends and family along to pick. Please note that this early-access night is strictly focused on harvesting; the bounce house, food concessions, and education team activities will not be available at our members-only events.
Field-to-Fork: Crop Storage Tips & Custom Recipes
Once you bring your fresh harvest home, proper handling ensures that your produce stays fresh and delicious. Use these field-tested guidelines for both your fresh peas and early potatoes:
Field Storage & Handling Tips
Peas
Don’t wash until ready to enjoy.
Place peas in a breathable bag (paper, cloth, or perforated plastic).
Store in the refrigerator, ideally in a crisper drawer. Use within a week for optimal flavor and texture.
To freeze for long-term storage: Wash and dry thoroughly. Freeze in an airtight container, removing as much air as possible. Optional: Blanch (90 seconds in boiling water) or shell peas before freezing.
For maximum sweetness, try to eat or freeze them within a few days of harvest, as their natural sugars convert to starch over time.
Red Potatoes
Do not store in the refrigerator.
Do not wash with water before storing — simply brush off excess dirt.
Store in a well-ventilated container (like an open box or basket) to prevent moisture buildup and in a dark area to prevent sprouting and greening.
Ideal storage temperatures are between 45–50°F (a cool, dry basement works well).
Store away from onions, as moisture from onions can shorten shelf life.
Use within 1-3 weeks of harvesting
In the Kitchen: Custom Recipes
Ready to turn your harvest into an incredible meal? Give these premium recipes a try this week:
For Your Peas: Brighten up your table with this vibrant Fresh Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes and Peas recipe from Food52. It is the absolute perfect showcase for crisp, sweet summer vegetables.
For Your Potatoes: Fire up the grill and cook these mouthwatering Spicy Shrimp Skewers paired perfectly with fresh creamer potatoes from The Little Potato Company recipe collection.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Sponsors
Bringing five acres of educational agriculture to life takes a community of dedicated partners. We want to extend a special note of gratitude to The Little Potato Company for their support of our Demonstration Farm Fields.
Our U-Pick events wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors: Festival Foods and Findorff providing the Bounce House fun and WOW – WE CARE CHARITY, INC., who is our seeder sponsor!
Their investment in agricultural literacy helps us continue to build a bridge between local production fields and your kitchen table.
Join Us At Food + Farm for our First Harvest
Preregistration for our July Community U-Pick night is entirely optional but highly encouraged. Letting us know you plan to attend allows our team to monitor expected attendance, ensure we have plenty of harvest tools ready, and send weather updates directly to your inbox if conditions change.
Please note: Our outdoor community harvest events are completely weather-dependent. In the event of severe weather or unsafe field conditions, cancellation notices and scheduling adjustments will be emailed directly to everyone who has preregistered and will be posted across our official social media channels.
Help Us Grow: Take Our U-Pick Survey
Because we do not require formal email registration to attend our harvest days, we rely heavily on your direct input to help us grow, improve, and refine these community events. If you attended our early pea harvest or join us for any future U-Pick days this summer, please take a moment to complete our brief feedback survey.