Fall is upon us, and with it the annual visit out to the pumpkin patch at the local farm(s). There are several farms who have fall activities, two of which I’d like to present in more detail:

First off is Ganyard Hill Farm, on the outskirts of Durham, about 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh. (Address: 319 Sherron Rd, Durham, NC 27703). What I like about Ganyard is that it caters well to the wee little ones. It has Haystack Mountain, basically a “jungle gym substitute” complete with giant tunnel, a hay maze (see image below) and a corn crib (see image on the left). Some animals can be fed by the kids, and of course there is a Pick-your-own-Pumpkin field. When we went, the boys (father and son) really enjoyed rolling around in the corn crib, although mom insists that this is how we got our bug bites. A hay ride and a corn maze are also available, but perhaps not a exciting as at other locations.

If you do look for a ginormous-tastic corn maze, head in the opposite direction to Ken’s Korny Corn Maze in Garner. (Take Hwy. 50 South, Ken’s is just before the intersection with Ten-Ten Road.) The maze has 2.5 miles of paths, and you should plan 2-3 hours to enjoy all the attractions. When you enter the corn maze, you are given a flag on a long pole that you’re supposed to wave if you’re hopelessly stuck – it seems that does happen. Besides the maze, there are the usual hay maze, pumpkin patch, etc., all arranged very nicely.

Check websites for hours and special events, as all attractions depend on the harvest season and the weather.