I've been to a lot of pumpkin patches and consider myself an expert on the subject. I really like Fall, I really like searching for the perfect pumpkin, and I love corn mazes. Oh, and Apple Butter! I definitely fulfilled all of those points last weekend, but there was a lot more to discover.
My husband and son wanted to go to the Zombie Paintball Hunt, so I took my 7yr old and we hit the farm. This was my first trip to Anderson Farms and all I can say is WOW! I hit the mother lode! This farm is like a Fall Festival amusement park.
You can't miss Anderson Farms, they have a HUGE pumpkin on top of a silo that you can see from Highway 52. They make is easy to find and it's not far from the I-25. It started to rain when we were about a mile away, the skies were getting darker and I was worried we wouldn't get to enjoy our day. As soon as we parked the rain let up and the sun came out. It turned into a perfect Fall day!
Once through the front gate we decided to head to the far right to begin our adventure. Warning; the smell of funnel cake upon entering is hard to steer away from, but I managed to push it off for a little while. My daughter noticed the duck races right away; pvc pipe with a water pump that sends your duck down the racetrack. Kids of all ages were playing this game. Next, we headed to the tractor/bike course, super cute. Younger children ride on one course and adults and older kids ride on another. They ride their tractors around the farm themed course until they're ready to come out. Lots of smiles from my girl! She would have stayed on this longer but she saw the Mine Cars and dashed over to get in line. This was a nice ride to get a feel for how big Anderson Farms really is. They take you right by the Pumpkin Chunkin area, which looked like a lot of fun! Who doesn't want to shoot a pumpkin out of a tube?!
We were thirsty at this point, so we got a huge lemonade to share and checked out the food options. Be sure to come hungry. They not only have a food truck brimming with choices but a full cafeteria-style eatery. With hearty fair food and sweet and salty snacks, you're sure to find something you like. Plan to sit down to enjoy your lunch while you listen to some of the fun music the Fall Festival offers. Nothing like a good banjo to get your feet tapping.
Before heading to the pumpkin fields, we found the children's playground. It's pretty cool, so plan a few extra minutes to spend here. My daughter loved climbing the tractor tire hill and exploring every corner of the play area. Once your kids are a little "tired out", jump on the wagon (entrance is right next to the playground) to go find your pumpkins! The ride itself is fun just to enjoy being outside and with your family. They have all sizes, shapes and colors. We found a smaller white pumpkin that my daughter wanted and someone sitting next to us had two huge oblong shaped pumpkins that would look great on the sides of a door or walkway. On the wagon ride back you'll get a chance to peek at Terror in the Corn. You can decide if you're brave enough to try it out after 7pm. I'll tell you right now, I'm not! However, the Zombie Paintball is a possibility.. you ride in a wagon out into the cornfields and you have the paintball guns, the zombies don't. That makes me feel a little braver. Maybe. ; )
Before heading to the pumpkin fields, we found the children's playground. It's pretty cool, so plan a few extra minutes to spend here. My daughter loved climbing the tractor tire hill and exploring every corner of the play area. Once your kids are a little "tired out", jump on the wagon (entrance is right next to the playground) to go find your pumpkins! The ride itself is fun just to enjoy being outside and with your family. They have all sizes, shapes and colors. We found a smaller white pumpkin that my daughter wanted and someone sitting next to us had two huge oblong shaped pumpkins that would look great on the sides of a door or walkway. On the wagon ride back you'll get a chance to peek at Terror in the Corn. You can decide if you're brave enough to try it out after 7pm. I'll tell you right now, I'm not! However, the Zombie Paintball is a possibility.. you ride in a wagon out into the cornfields and you have the paintball guns, the zombies don't. That makes me feel a little braver. Maybe. ; )
It was finally time for the corn maze. I was told that if you went through the whole main maze, it would be 8 or 9 miles. They also have a ½ mile version and a kids animal tracks option. The 8 mile version wasn't happening with my 7yr old so we opted for the short maze. Let them know at the front gate how long you'd like to spend (and how far you want to walk!) and they'll guide you to the right choice for your family.
When you pay for your pumpkins you walk through their darling gift shop. I wish I could have spent a little more time in the shop, but I did manage to pick up a jar of apple butter, yum! I probably could have done more damage if I stayed longer; they have lots of great gifts to check out.
The only problem with our visit to Anderson Farms was that both my daughter and I want to go back soon! We could have stayed 4 hours easy. I hope you'll take your family and have as much fun as we did. These are the days that kids remember for years to come.
This visit was sponsored by Anderson Farms but my opinions and the memories made with my daughter are all my own!
This visit was sponsored by Anderson Farms but my opinions and the memories made with my daughter are all my own!
