With fall comes not only the changing of the leaves, but the carving of pumpkins, as well. Instead of picking up your pumpkin from a grocery store, why not enjoy the experience of choosing your very own at one of the many great pumpkin patches in the Boulder area? Pumpkin patches are fun for the whole family and offer a ton of activities other than just selecting your own pumpkin. Take a look at these six pumpkin patches to find your next jack-o-lantern:
Fall Festival at Cottonwood Farms
This family farm specializes in everything autumn. Located just east of Boulder, Cottonwood Farms invites you and your family to play around in their corn or straw bale maze, say “hi” to Rocco the donkey and Bentley the miniature horse, take in the Front Range’s fall colors from their real farm wagon pulled by a tractor, and of course, pick your very own pumpkin in their pumpkin patch. This Fall Festival, open every day September 23 – October 31, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., is a true Boulder gem.
As a longstanding tradition, Anderson Farms plays host to events for every season and fall is no exception. A quick look at their Fall Festival guide will show you how dedicated they are to provide a quality community event for the whole family. From their 30-acre corn maze (Colorado’s longest running corn maze, in fact) to pumpkin launching with a pressurized canon that can hurl pumpkins up to a quarter mile, Anderson Farms has something for everyone.
Since 1976, Munson Farms has been in the business of producing the absolute freshest vegetables in Boulder. They have over 100 acres of farm fresh produce, specializing in the true overtones of fall: sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, and row after row of those tantalizing gourds we know and love – pumpkins. If finding the freshest veggies and best pumpkins is what you’re looking for in a pumpkin patch, look no further than Munson.
This commercial, family owned farm grows over 100 different certified organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers – all on just 15 acres. Home to multiple honeybee hives, hens, ducks, and even heritage Berkshire and Mangalitsa pigs, Cure Organic Farm founders Anne and Paul Cure “believe that community involvement is instrumental in the revival of small family farms.” Providing 200 families per week with fresh, certified organic food through their CSA, this is a perfect farm to appreciate the positive impact local and family owned farms have on the community.
U-Pick-Em Pumpkins & Corn Maze
Head over to Rock Creek Farm in Broomfield and you’ll be sure to find the perfect pumpkin on their 120-acre pumpkin patch. Not only can you harvest these ripe gourds straight from the vine, but you can also enjoy getting lost in their formidable corn mazes, spend time gazing among their farm animals, and check out the “Family Fun Area”. There, your kids will love hopping around a miniature hay bale maze, sliding down a huge inflatable super slide, or feeding the farm’s array of animals from the palms of their hands. Rock Creek Farm is sure to put you in the autumn and Halloween spirit.
Fall Harvest Festival at Miller Farms
Boulder is rich with tradition, and Miller Farms is no different: this year marks the Farms’ 20th Fall Harvest Festival. From Labor Day through mid-November, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily, you’ll have the chance to harvest your very own vegetables. During the Festival, everyone takes a tractor ride into the fields, stopping along the way to pick their own autumn vegetables. Don’t miss their petting zoo, corn maze, or “Antique Alley” while you’re there.
There’s nothing quite like picking your own orange gourd and spending a fall day on the farm to help you relax and take in the beauty Boulder has to offer. Do you have a favorite pumpkin patch or fall tradition? Let us know in the comments!