U-Pick Harvest Days
Get hands-on with fresh food, farming, and fun.
Experience How Food is Grown
At Food + Farm Exploration Center, it’s our mission to ensure people understand where their food comes from—and our U-Pick Harvest Days bring that mission to life.
These free, family-friendly events invite you to step into our on-site demonstration fields to harvest your own farm-fresh produce. Grown with purpose, each crop helps us show the public what agriculture looks like today—and how it shapes our lives in Wisconsin and beyond.
Dig In—From Soil to Sprout
Growing food is about more than planting seeds. It’s a dynamic, innovative process involving farmers, scientists, equipment, suppliers, processors, and new technologies.
At U-Pick Harvest Days, you’ll connect directly with those stories—from seed to harvest. Come learn, explore, and celebrate the hard-working people and processes that feed our communities.
What to Expect at U-Pick Harvest Days
Free admission—no ticket required
Pick-your-own produce (varies by season and event)
Three events per year, typically in the evenings (5–7 PM)
Weather-dependent—our fields need sun and rain just like any farm
Bring your own bag or container (no wheelbarrows or shovels, please)
Dress for a farm setting—expect walking and natural terrain
Fun activities for all ages
What We Grow
Our demonstration farm fields focus on crops common to Central Wisconsin. They vary each year, but you can expect to find:
Potatoes (including specialty and exclusive varieties)
Sweet Corn
Green Beans
Peas
Cucumbers
These crops are an outdoor extension of our indoor learning exhibits, offering a real-life look at how food grows.
A Harvest That Helps the Whole Community
U-Pick Harvest Days are not only educational—they’re generous. After each event, any uncollected produce is donated to local food security organizations.
In 2024, we donated more than 5,500 pounds of vegetables thanks to this program and our amazing community. Together, we’re making agriculture more accessible for all.
Interested in sponsoring our U-Pick Harvest Day events? Find more information along with sponsor benefits here.
Stay Tuned for the Next Harvest
We update this page as soon as crop conditions and event dates are confirmed. Bookmark this page and follow us on social media to be the first to know when it's time to harvest.
