The kids are back in school, the days are getting a little shorter, and soon enough, the leaves will be changing colors to indicate fall has arrived in Indiana.
While the beginning of the end of another calendar year nears, fall is still a time of celebration and fun. A look around at some of the events in the area should give you plenty to look forward to as we prepare for Mother Nature’s oncoming nge in attitude.
Aside from the pumpkin spiced everything, here’s some fall fun you can take in this season:
10th annual Kuehnert Dairy Farm
Fall Festival
Opening Friday, Sept. 16, and continuing every weekend through Sunday, Oct. 30, you’ll have seven weekends to enjoy one of the area’s most popular fall destinations.
While at the working dairy farm, learn the process of how milk gets from the farm to the store, view modern machinery, and watch robotic milking of the cows.
While you’re there, don’t forget to climb Straw Mountain, play in the corn pit, participate in Holy Cow Football, or take in a game of pumpkin checkers. You can also go on a hayride, paint a pumpkin, and, of course, walk the corn maze.
Hours: 6-10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays; and noon-5 p.m. Sundays.
Amazing Fall Fun:
Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Also celebrating their 10th anniversary is the Amazing Fall Fun: Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Waterloo.
The 17-acre corn maze and seven-acre pumpkin patch is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning Sept. 16.
Look forward to hayrides, a jumbo jumping pillow, barrel roll, straw mountain, duck races, tire tower, pumpkin checkers, farmer foosball, a corn maze, and a straw maze made for the little ones.
Ridenour Acres
Family fun on the farm also takes place at Angola’s Ridenour Acres.
Opening on Sept. 17, the experience offers live music, hay rides through the woods, a cozy bonfire, and a unique corn maze that is guaranteed to thrill.
Also on tap are Corn Maze and Cocktails events on Sept. 24 with music from Rekt and Oct. 1 with music from Hubie Ashcraft. In addition, Crafts in the Country, a local craft and vendor expo, will be Sept. 24-25 from noon-6 p.m.
Hilger Family Farm Fall Festival
Take a short drive west on U.S. 30 to visit Hilger Family Farm on Butt Road, where fun for the whole family awaits.
Open Monday-Saturday beginning the final weekend of September through Halloween, you can search for that perfect pumpkin for jack-o’-lantern carving or just spend the day on the farm where you will find many activities to enjoy, including a children’s hay maze and play area, tractor hay rides, buggy rides, and a small petting zoo.
Kurtz Produce
Kurtz Produce in New Haven offers pumpkins of a variety of colors and mixes, along with a U-Pick patch, allowing you to pick out the pumpkins that best fit your needs.
A corn maze, designed specifically for 2022, is on site as well, offering a challenge and opportunity for family fun.
Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays.
J&L Pickin’ Patch
J&L Pickin’ Patch in Fort Wayne, located just minutes from downtown Fort Wayne, is the Summit City’s first flower U-Pick.
In addition to picking your own bouquet using some of the more than 200 varieties of flowers, you can also enjoy the pumpkins grown with care.
The fall market is filled from Labor Day to Halloween with varieties of pumpkins, from traditional onces used for jack-o’-lanterns to wart-covered “goblins,” adorable minis, and ornamentals in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Open Wednesdays-Saturdays.
Phil’s U-Pick
Open now through Nov. 12, Phil’s U-Pick Apple Orchard and Pumpkin Farm in Huntington offers a chance to choose a variety of apples right off of the tree, as well as pumpkins off the vine beginning Sept. 24 for decorating, carving and baking.
The farmers and crews have been working hard to ensure this year’s crops are the best they have ever offered. Along with pumpkins and apples, they also serve up a selection of peaches, berries, and other fruits and vegetables straight from their gardens and orchards to your kitchen.
Salomon Farm Park
Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation offers you the opportunity to select sunflowers from their field at Salomon Farm Park, which is open 4-8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturdays.
Salomon Farm staff provides all the tools need to cut the flowers, and visitors can rent a container and cut as many sunflowers as they can fit in the container. The U-Pick will not be open on rainy days, and some sections will be reserved for photographers only.
Steele Farms
Steele Farms in Decatur encourages you to take some time with your family to navigate all the twists, turns and dead ends of their intricate corn maze.
Bring the family out for a day on the farm and watch as the kids ride the barrel train, climb the straw mountain, or step away to browse through their market filled with fall decorations and other goodies.
Of course, you’ll want to finish out the day with a visit to the pumpkin patch to pick the perfect one to carve.
Pumpkin Fantasyland
Pumpkin Fantasyland at Fashion Farm in Ligonier is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. every day Oct. 1-31.
Hay rides, a grass maze, a straw maze and mound, a family activity center and a super-mega slide take center stage here while the Fashion Farm Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as Rusty’s Ole Fashion Ice Cream and Homemade Pies.
Trowbridge Farms
Open Sept. 16-Oct. 30, Trowbridge farms in Kendallville, you’ll find the Amazing Maze and Pumpkin Patch.
In addition to their U-Pick pumpkin patch, enjoy wagon rides, tube slides, the giant corn box, a rock wall, bounce houses, a petting zoo, a giant straw mountain with a slide and mini golf.
For additional fun, a haunted version of the maze is available after dark.
Hours: 6-11 p.m. Fridays, 2-11 p.m. Saturdays, and 2-9 p.m. Sundays.
