Making the most of your u-pick experience
Print
EmailHave an adventure, save a little money and avoid foodborne illness.
Taking a trip to a u-pick farm can create wonderful memories and be an adventure. U-Pick farms can be an economical way to find fresh produce during the harvest months too. But it is important to take into consideration food safety practices before and after your adventure to keep people safe from possible threats. It is possible to come into contact with bacteria and other microorganisms that could cause foodborne illness when picking, handling and consuming fresh produce if it is not done properly.
One of the easiest lines of defense against foodborne illness is handwashing. Handwashing should be done often and properly. Everyone should wash their hands before and after picking fruit, after going to the bathroom, after eating and after any hand-to-face contact, such as coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. If there is not a handwashing station available, use hand wipes to remove surface dirt, then use hand sanitizer to reduce pathogens.
Other food safety practices include:
- Leave fruit that has fallen on the ground on the ground. Bruised fruit may be contaminated with bacteria or come into contact with animals or their feces.
- Use clean containers to hold your fresh picked fruit and vegetables.
- Have a cooler filled with ice packs or ice to begin the chilling process once you have picked your fruit. Picked produce should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. If it is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, refrigerate produce within an hour of picking.
- Avoid eating or drinking while you are picking, farmers may or may not have signs posted with these rules, but most will want to keep their fields clean and free of food scraps or wrappers.
- Leave the dog and other pets at home. Pets can carry bacteria that can easily pass on food borne illnesses to humans.
- Don’t pick or touch produce that is rotten or has bird excrement on it, even if you do not plan on taking it home.
- Rinse produce and clean produce before sampling.
Once home, the fruit should be rinsed under running water (never soak in water) and stored in the refrigerator. If you have plans to preserve, Michigan State University Extension recommends using the Michigan Fresh bulletins as a reference for appropriate preservation times and syrup suggestions.
