5 ways to celebrate fall’s farming roots
Cooler temperatures, vibrant foliage, crisp apples and cozy sweaters; there’s not much to dislike about fall. When you mix in Halloween, mouthwatering comfort foods and stocked pumpkin patches, autumn is just plain magical. If you want to make the most of the season this year, be sure you’re packing your schedule with some family-friendly fall adventures. Here’s what should make the list.
Get back to the season’s roots
From Halloween to harvest festivals to Thanksgiving, autumn celebrations are rooted in farming. That’s no surprise when you consider the fact that the fall is often synonymous with harvest season — a time to reap what you sow and celebrate your abundance. This year, celebrate fall the way it was meant to – on a farm. Young children and their teachers can tour a local farm by hay wagon through the vegetable fields, have an inside peek at a working bee hive, a produce washer demonstration and a tour through a produce cooler followed with a seasonal vegetable lecture by booking one a Trax Farms school tours.
Fall for fun
Move over summer; fall festivals are the year’s new high point. With school back in session, the Fall Festival at Trax Farms is the perfect way to take a break from the grind. Now in its 49th year, the Fall Festival runs Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 29-Oct. 28 and includes food, music and fun for the whole family. From hayrides & pumpkin patches, delicious festival food, bounce houses and giant slides to petting zoos this festival is sure to make fall your family’s favorite season.
Pick a pumpkin
Fall’s favorite vegetable takes center stage in September and October, but don’t rely on your grocery store for the perfect pumpkin. Make your gourd-getting an experience your family will remember when you pick them straight from the patch. Trax Farms offers evening hayrides to their scenic pumpkin patch every 30 minutes on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, 12, 19 and 26. Adults and children ride for $10 and $8 respectively, with pumpkins sold separately. Hayride guests will also enjoy a corn maze and scenic farm views.
Get lost
Corn is the nation’s most plentiful food crop, so there’s no better — and more American — way to experience the season than getting lost in a maze made entirely of maize. A puzzle for the mind and body, a corn maze is the perfect way to bond with family and friends as you work your way out of the field. Keep in mind that days are getting shorter, so be sure you bring a flashlight and a good sense of adventure.
Sample the season
There’s no better way to experience fall than through your taste buds. This is the season where “farm to table” selections really shine — and you won’t get fresher food than on an actual farm. The Fall Festival at Trax Farms provides a mouthwatering sampler of autumn’s most delicious cuisine. This year’s menu includes pulled pork sandwiches, kielbasa, cornbread, apple dumplings, caramel apples, fresh apple cider and more seasonal favorites. Be sure to bring the whole family — and a healthy appetite.
This article is sponsored by Trax Farms.
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A journalism graduate from Brigham Young University, Kristen Price has experience writing in a variety of fields, including art and culture, health and fitness and financial and real estate services. Kristen has written for USA Today, SFGate and the Knot.