“This isn’t your first time to the farm, is it?” asked the gentleman who drove the tractor that pulled our hayride.
“Oh no, we come every year about this time,” we replied happily to him.
“You oughta come again just two weeks from now,” he told us. “The leaves change to their vibrant colors in October. We’re pretty proud of our woods, here.”
Our hayride captain and tour guide is also the owner of the Homestead Fall Farm, and we so enjoy our annual hayride through his woods just beyond his pumpkin patch and field of sunflowers every September.
Our visit to the farm is one of our highlights of fall! There is literally something for everyone to do at the farm whether you enjoy the seasonal ambiance while selecting your pumpkins or the simple family-friendly fun that can captivate kids of nearly all ages for an entire afternoon. You can even make it an easy going day-date destination for any couple, complete with snow cones and hot dogs onsite!
We typically start by letting the boys climb through the docked ship. You read that right, there is a land-docked boat turned playhouse complete with a slide at the bow of the former water vessel. After that fast-fun, I put my foot down and bargain: if the boys give us their best smiles EVER for our annual photo, then Dad can get them tickets for all of the rides and games.
After their obligation, they head straight for the putt-putt course. After a couple of holes-in-one, we head over to check-out the farm’s newest attractions: this year, there was the rat racer. Watching our four and five year olds running in a cylinder tube attempting to get it to move from one side of a track to the next was hilarious! Of course I had to challenge Daddy – don’t worry, I won. But, towards the end of my race the barrel’s momentum caught up to me and I tumbled like a sock in a dryer. Ouch!
Inside the barn, there’s a corn filled pit where kiddos like using diggers to attempt to corral each grain. Or, they may use the pedal tractors along an indoor race track. The scent of “Aunt Sue’s” caramel apple slices waft our way and get us ready for the perfect fall snack. While we enjoy some of the fresh, gooey goodness, the boys hop into the lawnmower-pulled train of barrels for a trek around the farm.
Finally, it’s time to select our special pumpkins for the year, and the boys drag a wagon through the consolidated groupings of gourds and the small, medium, large, and extra large pumpkins. I wanted to add in one of the most beautiful red Mums I have ever seen! But, my husband kindly reminded me that I almost never keep flowers alive…
Before we head-out, we have to say hello to the animals! They have adorable donkeys, goats, chickens, roosters, and pigs ready for your selfies. Some of them smile for us, too!
We love the Homestead Fall Farm because it’s hardly ever crowded on a regular weekend day, and it’s a ten minute drive from our house on the east end of Findlay. There’s so much to do that we blink our eyes and two hours have passed. My mother-in-law and I could spend a lot of time, and a pretty penny, in their gift shop but I am grateful we have kiddos there with us to stop that madness from happening. Every year there’s a little something new only adding to the whimsy and the nostalgia of this place.
I hope you’ll consider making the Homestead Fall Farm your pumpkin and fall decoration destination! My family and I have made some very special memories there.