Big Jim Farms goes bigger with U-Pick sunflowers, chile and pumpkins

Big Jim Farms is going even bigger for its upcoming U-Pick season.

Earlier this year, the farm moved to Los Poblanos Open Space fields, an area that spans 21 acres. That’s approximately three times the size of its last location, where it resided for six years. In addition to more growing space for more crops, the new spot also provides better parking options.

“There’s a big parking lot that’s just designated for parking. So it’s a lot safer for people who visit,” said Chantelle Wagner, the daughter of owner Jim Wagner. “And we can grow a lot, like more in stages. So instead of just a few rows of (crops), we can have huge fields of flowers, chile, pumpkins and everything we want to grow.”

While the farm itself is much larger now, visitors can still choose from the same variety of U-Pick options. That is kicked off with sunflower season, which began in August and draws to a close near the end of September. It’s $5 to rent clippers, and guests can put their flowers in a free mason jar at the end of the experience.

“The sunflower field is huge, and it’s pretty epic,” Wagner said. “It’s definitely something you don’t see every day. There’s a lot of photo-ops in there, so that’s exciting.”

The most anticipated U-Pick season involves green chile, which runs through October. As with all experiences, there is no admission fee to explore the fields, and visitors only pay for what they pick.

“People who’ve been coming to our farm since the beginning are always very excited about green chile picking,” Wagner said. “… It’s a very unique experience, and it’s very tied to our hearts as New Mexicans. I would say that’s probably the center of our mission.”

As any native New Mexican can attest, it’s not only about the green. At Big Jim Farms, red chile U-pick starts in September and goes through October. That experience includes the option of a red chile ristra class, ideal as the holidays approach.

“We started a ristra making class two years ago. It became really popular,” Wagner said. “We are going to be offering that so they can pick the chile if they want it to and make the ristra, or we’ll already have it picked and prepped for them to make the ristra. During the class we go through the history of it, how it originated, the types of chile.”

Meanwhile, attendees can pick their own pumpkin from the end of September through Halloween. Wagner says a greater variety of pumpkin seeds were planted than in previous years, so options will abound.

“The field is really big where the pumpkins are, and they’re really healthy right now,” she said. “They’re going to get some good pumpkins that they can pick straight from the vine.”

As Big Jim Farms becomes more established in its new location, Wagner hopes to increase the number of experiences offered. One already in the works is a holiday-themed U-Pick event that is expected to launch in mid-November. Specific details are still coming together.

“We’re going to be doing the same thing (with) people able to go outside and experience picking something, but it’s going to be holiday-themed related to New Mexico traditions — the food and everything that surrounds Christmas in New Mexico,” Wagner said. “We’ll have Christmas trees and wreaths, local vendors and food that’s prepared with local farms and dairies.”

Next year, Wagner hopes to add more crops, including a Three Sisters garden (corn, beans and squash), as well as more selections of flowers. With the move to the Los Poblanos Open Space, Big Jim Farms has scaled back on some of the attractions — live music, food trucks, etc. — that once accompanied its U-Pick events.

“We want to focus mostly on the U-Pick, field trips and education,” Wagner said. “It’s not really something that Open Space really does. We still have live music that’s more acoustic for people to enjoy, kind of hang out and complement the experience.”

The experience alone is well worth the visit.

“The scenery and the backdrop is outstanding. The Los Poblanos Open Space is really a pretty place where people go and walk every single day,” Wagner said. “Just that in itself is an added benefit.”

8+ pictures of you pickem at Big Jim Farms