U-Pick: Get To The Source

Get to the source. It's not always practical, but in Mt. Hood Territory, there are options where the value not only outweighs the convenience, but the experience itself can be at the forefront for going in the first place. 

Enter the u-pick farms. Oregon Trail Pioneers used to call Mt. Hood Territory “The Promised Land”, and with fertile soils, rolling hills and less congestion than the more popular u-pick areas (rhymes with “Mauvie Island”), our valley offers a seemingly endless supply of fruit, produce and flowers ready to be harvested by you!  

Looking to pick your traditional blueberries or raspberries? Head to Morning Shade Farm. Are you a tomato fan? Hartnell Farms is a family owned farm since the early 1900s and offers over 100 varieties of tomatoes from cherries to heirlooms. There’s also plenty of seasonal lavender farms as well as fresh cut tulip and dahlia locations that offer picture worthy landscapes and flowers that will ensure a second date or better yet, an emphatic “yes!” to a marriage proposal.*

“But I don’t like picking things in the spring and summer time.” you say? Oh, my friend, then you are in luck, as Mt. Hood Territory doesn’t discriminate seasons! Encompassing the city of Estacada, which is touted as the “Christmas tree capital of the world”, we’re practically bursting with u-pick Christmas tree farms, as well as pumpkin patches that offer food, drink, activities and family fun during the fall months. 

So in closing, keep on supporting your local grocers, but occasionally for a fun-filled day full of memories and blueberries the size of shooter marbles, treat yourself to the “fruits of your labor.” Or produce. Or Christmas trees. You get the idea. 

*Flowers are not a guarantee to a second date or an acceptance to a marriage proposal- You’ll need to work harder than that, but it’s a good start.