Harvest Finale: Late August & September U-Pick Preview

Late summer in Central Wisconsin brings some of our absolute favorite crops to maturity across our five acres of demonstration fields. If you’ve been tracking our rows this season, you know there’s nothing quite like gathering your own food fresh from the soil. As we gear up for the final stretch of our harvest calendar, we’re inviting our community out to gather sweet corn, crisp green beans, a very special potato variety, and cabbage (which is a new crop for our fields) all for free!

Upcoming U-Pick Harvest Days

We have two final public harvest events on the calendar to help you stock your pantry and freezer before autumn sets in. Grab your family and join us out in the rows! Please remember that all field harvesting relies on safe ground conditions and fair weather, so events may be rescheduled or canceled if inclement weather rolls through.

Pop-Up U-Pick | Tuesday, August 25 (5 PM – 7 PM)

Craving fresh, sweet summer corn? We're hosting a focused harvest evening on Tuesday, August 25th. This pop-up event gives you direct access to the fields to gather sweet corn straight from the stalk and vine. Please note: This focused harvest night is all about picking your produce, so concessions, bounce houses, and extra field programming will not be set up.

Season Finale U-Pick | Tuesday, September 1 (5 PM – 7 PM)

We’re wrapping up our harvest season with a memorable evening in the fields on Tuesday, September 1st! Along with green beans and cabbage (which is a totally new commodity for our fields), we will be digging up Prairie Sun and a special red-skinned, yellow-fleshed potato variety developed in partnership with UW Extension.

To help make our final harvest night extra lively, players from the UWSP Football team will be on-site in the fields to lend a hand with harvesting and toss footballs around with young fans!

Exclusive Early Access for Food + Farm Members

Our members play a vital role in keeping our educational mission growing. To say thank you, we invite our members to enjoy early access harvesting before our community U-Pick days. Skip the crowds and enjoy a peaceful evening gathering your crops!

• Member-Only Sweet Corn Harvest: Monday, August 24 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• Member-Only Harvest Finale: Monday, August 31 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Note: Member nights are dedicated purely to harvesting produce in the fields, so concessions and activities will not be available. The bounce house will be available on August 31.

Field-to-Fridge: Storage & Recipes

Proper care after you leave the field makes all the difference in keeping your fresh-picked produce sweet, crisp, and nutrient-rich. Use these field-tested storage guidelines to get the most out of your harvest:

Corn

• If eating soon, leave husks on and wrap in a bag but do not seal (a grocery store bag works great).

• For long-term storage, blanch and freeze:

  • Peel husks and remove silk.

  • Place cobs in boiling water. Return to a rapid boil and boil for 7 minutes.

  • Remove cobs from water and place in an ice bath to cool.

  • Once cooled, cut kernels off cob and place in freezer bags.

  • Thaw and warm in covered saucepan (with butter) until warm.

Green Beans

• Don’t wash or trim until ready to enjoy

• Place in container or bag

• Store in the fridge in a crisper drawer and use within a week for optimal flavor and texture

• Option: Wash, trim, dry then freeze for long term storage

Potatoes

When handled properly, fresh-dug potatoes can easily last for months!

• Do not wash with water prior to storing, simply brush off dirt

• Do not store in the fridge

• Store in a well-ventilated container (open box or basket) to prevent moisture buildup that would cause spoilage

• Store in a dark area to prevent sprouting and greening

• Best storage conditions are between 45 and 55 degrees (like a cool, dry basement)

• Store away from onions (moisture from onions shortens shelf life)

Cabbage

• Leave outer leaves unless they are damaged

• Do not wash

• Bag loosely and store in the fridge crisper drawer

Late-Summer Recipes for your Kitchen

Highlight the natural, farm-fresh flavors of your harvest with these tested kitchen ideas. Make them all for an incredible end of summer cook-out!

• For Your Sweet Corn: Treat your harvest to an extra flavorful side dish with this mouthwatering Butter Bath Corn Recipe from The Kitchn.

• For Your Green Beans: Serve up a crisp, refreshing accompaniment to dinner with this Creamy Dilled Green Bean Salad courtesy of Food52.

• For Your Potatoes: Fire up the grill and cook your fresh-dug harvest using these savory Grilled Yellow Potato Planks from Potato Goodness.

Thank You to our Sponsors

It takes true community support to maintain five acres of demonstration crops and welcome thousands of neighbors into our fields. We offer our sincere thanks to the partners who keep our public U-Pick events accessible to all:

• WOW – WE CARE CHARITY, INC. (Seeder Sponsor)

• Marshfield Clinic (Event Sponsor)

• Festival Foods (Bounce House Sponsor)

• Findorff (Bounce House Sponsor)

Preregister for Final U-Picks

Preregistering for our harvest events is quick, free, and gives our field team an estimated count so we can have plenty of supplies ready for you. Plus, you’ll receive exclusive recipes and weather updates directly to your inbox.

Weather Note: Outdoor harvesting depends on safe field conditions. In the event of heavy rain or severe weather, updates will be emailed to registered guests and shared on our official social channels.

Want to Help Us Grow?

If you’ve picked produce with us this summer, we’d love to hear about your experience! Your insights help us shape future field layouts, crop selections, and event details. Please take two minutes to complete our U-Pick survey and let us know how we did.