What to Know
- Picking event: Aug. 29 and 30, Sept. 5 and 6
- Moorpark
- 35 cents a pound
Everything has its season around Southern California, and when the sun feels like it is at its brightest, roundest, and most potent — so, say, right around late August — that's when you can expect another round, colorful, and potent icon to reach full ripe-a-tude.
It's the Roma tomato, that superstar of saucy Marinaras, colorful Caprese salads, and classic BLT sandwiches.
The Roma is one of the stalwarts of the produce aisle, a grab-and-go tomato that keeps its consistency well and always adds pop to plates, whether they're traditional Italian dishes or zingy salads.
But where can you go to actually find fabulous Romas still on the vine and ready for picking?
Underwood Family Farms is the place, but the Moorpark destination's picking season for its famous Roma tomatoes doesn't last for long.
We make that point because Underwood's other Pick Your Own items, from berries to lettuces, do have a longer picking windows, in general, but Romas are definitely of the get-'em-now variety.
And that get-'em-now picking window? It's open on Saturday, Aug. 29 and Sunday, Aug. 30, and again over the first weekend of September 2020.
"Fresh-picked Romas are great for canning and make any tomato-based dish taste all the better!" is the message from Underwood, and any tomato enthusiast would surely see(d) the truth in that statement.
It's a morningtime pick session, from 6 a.m. to noon each day, and you'll want to read up on face coverings and safety policies before you go.
As well as how the picking will go, from bringing your own containers to how you can score already-picked Romas.
How many jars of sauce will you make for wintertime with your bounty? Start dreaming of perfect pastas now as you plan your Pick-Your-Own outing to this agricultural gem.
