 |
by Calista Sprague
photos by Mike Culpepper
This year for Halloween, consider trading in the fairy wings and Batman capes for flannel shirts and jeans. Put the family in the car and head out for the farm.
The Chattahoochee Valley boasts many family-run farms close enough for a day trip, and with the growing industry of agrotourism, most offer fall fun for everybody.
Trick-or-treating is great for elementary school kids, but on the farm kids of all ages and their parents can explore acres of corn mazes, go on hayrides, visit farm animals and pick out the perfect pumpkin (and maybe catch a glimpse of the Great Pumpkin) in the pumpkin patch. The list of activities goes on and on, and each farm provides something special.
For Stewart Harvard, owner of Marengo Creek Farms, it’s all about having fun. “I love the kids coming here. You take them on a hayride, and they’re laughing and giggling. It’s a great day,” he smiled. A short 20-minute drive from Columbus and your family will be breathing the fresh Alabama air and taking in the sights and sounds of Harvard’s Russell County farm.
Harvard and his wife Candy manage to sneak in a bit of educational content amongst all the fun. “I want to entertain and educate the kids,” Harvard said. “We teach them something about farm life and animals. It’s amazing how many kids don’t know where eggs come from. I tell them, ‘Wal-Mart did not make this,’” he laughed.
Throughout October, the Harvards host hayrides, a corn maze, petting zoo and pumpkin patch, but unique to Marengo Creek—a working sheep farm—are the border collie demonstrations. Families can watch the dogs in action as they herd a flock of sheep on command. And kids will love seeing the baby lambs—as many as 100 of them this year, Harvard predicts.
For families with older (and much braver) kids, a frighteningly good time can be had just an hour away at Horror Hill in Newnan, Ga. Trails with cabins, mazes, tunnels, bridges, trap doors, fog machines, lasers and strobes, along with monsters and other special effects will frighten even those who claim nerves of steel. Perfect for teenagers and parents who enjoy a good adrenaline rush, this one is NOT appropriate for younger children.
For families with kids of any age willing to brave a drive of just under two hours, the fun at Lane Southern Orchards awaits in Fort Valley, Ga. Wendy Barton says the hayrides were a big hit last year, and new this year is a six-acre corn maze commemorating the farm’s 100th anniversary. “We will have extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights, and it’s going to be fun. We’re going to have neon necklaces and glow sticks and different little light-up lollypops for kids to use as lights to try to find their way through the maze.”
For Halloween weekend, the maze will be dressed up, too. “We’ll have the maze with a spooky twist, but we’re not going to do anything to scare anyone,” Barton said. “We are also going to have a fall festival on Nov. 1.”
The second annual festival will include a pumpkin carving contest, a costume contest, games, inflatables, face painting, balloon animals, clowns, and even the employees will be dressed up for Halloween. “Last year everyone loved it,” Barton said. “The kids and the parents all had a great time, especially with our costume contest. We had different age groups so it would be fair, and some of the parents dressed up to accent what their kids were dressed up as. It was just fun,” she grinned.
A little closer to home in Ellerslie, Ga. is The Farm House. On Fridays and Saturdays, enjoy a meal of down home cookin’ at the restaurant and then take the kids on a hayride or do a craft. Farm House owner Becky McKenzie says there will be special fall events for families every weekend throughout October.
For some old-fashioned fun, take a trip back in time and visit Historic Warm Springs Village for a Harvest Hoedown on October 11 - 12 with live entertainment, arts and crafts and plenty fall fun for the kids.
If you’re looking for a sure memorymaker that the whole family can enjoy, spend an October day at the farm. As Stewart Harvard put it, “You can go eat another pizza or go play another video game, but this is something totally different. And the kids love it!”
Send us your comments and feedback: contactus@valleyparent.com.
