Locations |
UPick: County Road 97D, West of Davis |
Grandpa's Barn: corner of cr98 and cr31 |
Hours |
(see their website) |
Phone |
(530) 750-0451 |
Website |
http://www.impossibleacres.com |
Impossible acres is "a small family farm that has been growing a variety of fruits and vegetables for the past 6 years. We sell some of our produce to local stores such as the Davis Food Coop, but most of what we grow is sold directly to folks who come to the farm either to buy fresh produce or to pick their own. Some of the crops we grow are raspberries, boysenberries, blackberries, olallaberries, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, apples, pumpkins and corn. We generally open in May and close at the end of October." They also sell jams made from their own fruits.
2012: The U-Pick site is open! (despite their website saying they are not) |
U-Pick Rates and Information
As of May 2009, here are the rates:
strawberries: $1.25/pound, cherries: $1.99/pound, peaches/apricots: $1.99/pound, marionberries/raspberries: $2.99/pound.
UPDATE: As of 7 August 2010, raspberries are still $2.99/lb but peaches are $0.99/lb —MeganCleary
As of August 2010, dogs (preferably leashed) are allowed in the u-pick area.
This means that they are still cheaper than Safeway for some things, but not others. The quality, though, makes a real difference. Safeway orders unripe fruit and often ripens it artificially - while it looks ripe, it never reaches the high sugar content of truly ripe fruit (like you get at Impossible Acres). So while it's amazingly tasty, it's not quite as cheap as it used to be.
From the Web site:
PUMPKIN PATCH
Oct. 1st through October 30
9 AM - 6PM
Pumpkins and gourds of all shapes and sizes, ornamental corn hayrides, haybale mazes, farm animals
This farm has the best berries around. If you pick them yourself, they are only $2/lb... in comparison to Safeway or Albertsons that charges like $3.99 for 6 oz. Great buy, and you can eat while you pick too! I recommend the blackberries later in the summer, because they are huge. And, the raspberries are very yummy, but a bit harder to pick. —JuliaNiazov
Check it out.... nearly 2lbs of raspberries, 40 minutes of picking (by myself) and only $3.75! YUM!
Harvesting Advice
It is a good idea to bring a bottle of water along, and also wear a hat and/or sunscreen. You can eat fruits as you pick them, and the most plentiful harvests can be found deep within the rows - where most people don't normally venture.
Raspberries - Most of the good berries are in the interior of the vines, amongst the thorns. Try using your harvesting box to push down and out on a few branches, opening up the foliage, exposing the bright red berries that were hidden before. Be sure to tug on the raspberries gently, as they are fragile, and are supposed to pop off of the cone-shaped receptacle beneath the now-hollow berry. Using this method you can pick large volumes of fresh raspberries quickly, while minimizing skin punctures. Gloves that leave the fingertips exposed can help protect your hands while harvesting any thorny berry.
Blackberries - A close relative of raspberries, these do not pop off of their receptacles, so expect to tug a little harder to remove them. Fully black and soft berries will be sweet, but if you prefer tart blackberries, as I do, pick them while the berries are still firm, even slightly reddish.
Cherries - These are available earlier in the year than the other fruits, and some years there can be very few. But fresh cherries are awesome, so don't forget to wander through the orchard - the basket above was picked in one hour in a bad year!
Petting Zoo
They have an awesome petting zoo during the month surrounding Halloween, with baby animals for kids and adults to cuddle with. Their kittens are up for adoptions after the petting zoo season is over (and the list filled up fast). You can get a "season pass" for the petting zoo area. Adult get in free with a kid! Older children can sign up to assist with chores during closing time. The Petting Zoo and the surrounding pick-a-pumpkin area are a popular destination for school field trips in the early Fall.
2006-07-15 17:03:46 I love this place, its a great activity for a summer morning, and the cheapest place to get raspberries. If I am going to make fruit salad for a BBQ I try to make a trip out there that day, it doesnt take too long, and its worth it! —ShaunaMcKellar
2006-11-06 04:53:06 What exactly about these acres is impossible? Who is Grandpa? Inquiring minds want to know... —NickSchmalenberger
2007-10-11 16:57:12 Their pumpkin patch is great...kids love all of the baby animals that they're allowed to hold! —Danya
2008-06-06 16:58:47 This place is great! You no need anymore to go to Brentwood to pick up cherries. And its apricots are also awesome~~ —apolloshenao
2009-04-26 01:01:39 Does anyone know when this place opens for the season? —llamaslyr
2009-05-05 05:12:44 they're open year-round ;0 —BlueDot
2009-05-18 00:50:09 Anyone else have problems calling their phone number? I keep getting a busy tone. —AmyTrinh
2009-05-21 23:50:52 Someone needs to tell them to update their web site —ScottRitchie
- Impossible!
Just call to ask what their hours are. In May when I called, they were open Wednesdays-Sundays
2009-07-10 13:06:04 Went at end of May for berries! It was a super hot weekend, making us more hesitant to venture further out back on the farm. The strawberries were perfectly ripe and super sweet! They weren't like the supermaket strawberries that are gigantic but not too sweet. They had some already picked in baskets for sale. Cherries- sweet but seemed not completely ripe yet? Maybe beginning of June is a better time for cherry picking. Peaches- not ripe yet. Apricots- delicious! Very sweet Marion Berries-careful when picking off the bushes; they have thorns. However, it was the perfect time for these berries, ripe, juicy and sweet! Delicious The prices are extremely reasonable also. My total was $3.75 for a full basket (those smaller green ones) of marion berries, a full basket of strawberries, a couple apricots, and a fistful of cherries. Will be returning next year!! —ViVi
2009-10-17 08:48:15 They are open right now for October, during the weekend from 9 to 6 and during the week they have school groups coming through so they're open to the public (the petting zoo is) at 11 AM until 6. Tractor rides only on the weekend. Both the tractor rides and maze is free! —wewais
2010-05-10 11:23:45 Does anyone know if they have opened for the season? I have checked their website, but it appears hopelessly out of date. The calendar on the page suggests taht they don't open until June 1, but I know I have picked there before that in the past. Last year it seemed that they opened late and closed early and were mostly picking for local restaurants (just a perception). —mlgoodson
- They were not open as of Saturday. I drive by there a few times a week and I always check because I love the place. I'm waiting too! - JenniferCook
- Thanks for the update. I emailed them and haven't heard back yet either. Will comment again if I hear anything. —mlgoodson
- Just noticed that they updated their webpage (5/22) saying they will open Memorial Day weekend (5/29-5/31 from 9-6 each day. They say they have strawberries, cherries and apricots. Grandpa's Barn is not open. —mlgoodson
2010-08-07 20:51:52 When I went by today, the gentleman at the pay station told me they will be open for two more weeks this year before they close until pumpkin season. —MeganCleary
2011-05-29 04:40:01 Never heard of this place before.. Lived in Davis for 11 years.. Thanks to the Wiki I now have a new adventure to take. Looking forward to it... —Wes-P
2012-06-17 15:46:29 Quick note that I just picked some peaches out there, so they are open for the year (their website still says they are closed for the season). They also had apricots and some early berries. —mlgoodson
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