Fun activities in autumn | Sun News

Fashion Farm in Ligonier has been offering a fun autumn over the last 46 years in his Fantasyland Pumpkin. This year's theme is "To Infinity and Beyond" and you can find all kinds of entertainment related to space.

"This year we have an astronaut who is made from straw and binder string. We are going to have a Toy Story Buzz Lightyear. We are going to have Thomas the Train Goes to the Moon and other attractions, "said Jason Becker, a company executive.

Fashion Farm will offer a pumpkin trail with different exhibition stations that will incorporate pumpkins, gourds and squash. Each stop will have a description of what is represented. The screens are separated by corn walls and people will be able to walk through each section. Some displays are interactive and people can take pictures with what is shown.

"We want to entertain, but we also want to educate at the same time," said Becker.

A forklift pulled by a tractor will take runners to the pumpkin patch and people will learn more about how to raise pumpkins. The farm raises its own pumpkins, squash and squash on about 25 acres of land.

A horse-drawn cart ride is a family favorite and will be brought back this year. It's a shorter course than the hayride, but Becker said people really enjoy visiting horses. A maze of straw and a labyrinth of Sudan grass are also on offer. The labyrinth of grass measures about half a acre and is designed for young children.

"The youngest can really walk through the maze if they wish," Becker said.

A new attraction this year at Pumpkin Fantasyland is a corn pit. It will be shelled corn in a large sandbox. Children will be able to enter the corn and chase the toys.

Fashion Farm makes its own pumpkin fritters, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin pie, all on sale during the season. Moms raised on the spot will be available for purchase. Gifts and decorative items will also be on sale. More than 24 varieties of pumpkins, squash and squash will be on offer.

The first three Saturdays in October will host special events. The first Saturday is Agriculture Day, the second will have a craft show and the third will be Safe Kids Day.

This exhibition will be available seven days a week, from 8 am to 7 pm in October and is located at 1680 Lincolnway West in Ligonier. The cost of admission is $ 3 per person and children 2 and under are free. Weekend packages are available that will include hayrides, labyrinths and other activities.

Trowbridge Farm is a family business that offers many opportunities for fall lovers.

Cindy Trowbridge, one of the farm owners, listed all that was offered and the list seemed to never stop. She said that pumpkins, a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a pavilion with a fire, a labyrinth hunted (that does not open until night), inflatable bale racing, a trampoline, a pit, an inflatable house, a carousel, rubber duck races, a wooden tractor and a cart on which children can climb, an animal farm with chickens, turkeys, goats and carts the farm will provide.

Trowbridge said that every year they were trying to add something new to make it a little different, bigger and better. It is the fourteenth year that the farm has organized events.

The corn maze has circles in its design. Trowbridge designs the labyrinth and the family creates the design on the ground. A third party is not committed to giving life to his vision. According to Trowbridge, the labyrinth takes about two or three afternoons.

"I draw it on graph paper and I use a ruler, an eraser and I never do it in a pen because I always change something. During the first years, we made dead ends. My husband did not like mowing dead ends because he had trouble turning around. We have started to do this so that there is no dead end, but you may have to go around to find the right path.

"It just happened with a clipper and a tape measure. We go out and measure. Each small square of my graph paper is 5 feet long and it takes about seven pieces of graph paper glued together to draw the labyrinth. I'm just sitting at the table and drawing what strikes me, "said Trowbridge.

Bridges try to make all activities wheelchair accessible. She said the farm has ramps for a lot of activities, even the maze maze. Although rain can sometimes make the labyrinth muddy and difficult to transport for wheelchairs, it should not deter people from coming to the farm because it is raining or shining.

The entrance is $ 8 per person, children 3 and under are free. This tax includes everything the farm offers, apart from the concession stand. For groups of 10 or more, the price falls to $ 5 per person. If a school wishes to go out on the field, the fee is $ 3 per person and teachers and chaperones can enter for free.

From September 21st until after Halloween, Trowbridge Farm will be open Fridays, from 6 pm to 11 pm, Saturdays from 4 pm to 11 am and Sundays from 4 pm to 9 pm. The farm is at 5386 N. 500 E, Kendallville.

Roberts Farms is also a family business and, according to Tracy Roberts, one of the owners, like Trowbridge Farm, all the elevation and preparation work is done indoors.

According to Roberts, the farm has grown to over 7,000 moms and a huge plot of pumpkin, but the farm is best known for its barrel rides.

"We have a great adventure through one of our corn fields where we get on a roll train. We built the barrel trains ourselves. Last year, we only had one train and it was a great attraction. So this year we have three barrel trains, "Roberts said.

The ride will take people through the cornfield. Along the way, skeletal scenes and prizes can be found.

"It's really a neat, fun and interactive experience that's something that's unique to us," Roberts said.

A corn maze is also featured and the drawing includes a mouse on one side and cheese on the other. Labyrinth participants should try to connect the two.

This is the third year that the farm offers fall events. A new feature added this year calls for a story path.

"It's perfect for families with children. It's a labyrinth in which you will not get lost. Along the way, you walk a path and you can read a story through the trail. "Jack and the Cornstalk" is the story we will be presenting this year, "said Roberts.

The story line is for people who are afraid of getting lost in a maze maze. According to Roberts, people can experience a smaller scale, but also an educational experience.

In the pumpkin plot, you can choose your own pumpkins. Pre-picked pumpkins are also available.

"We have pumpkins, more than 25 different varieties, all of different colors. We also have small mini pumpkins. We try to raise different varieties. We have a lot of 50-60 pound pumpkins. We all sell at wholesale prices. So, you will never pay more than $ 5 for a pumpkin, "Roberts said.

The hay labyrinth once stood in a barn, but this year it has spread beyond the barn; 426 hay bales make up this labyrinth and the walls measure 9 feet. Each ball weighs about 750 pounds.

A cornfield and a zoo with farm animals, such as pigs, sheep, rabbits, goats and a miniature donkey, will be available. A playground for goats has been created so that goats can actually climb and climb the walls of the barn.

Roberts, a former teacher, loves education very much.

"I am all about educating others about agriculture. So we have a lot of interactive experiences and educational stops all over the farm so that people can take a moment and learn something about agriculture that they did not know about before, "Roberts said.

Roberts designs the labyrinth herself and uses the GPS to place it on the ground.

Admission is $ 5 for ages 4 and up and children 3 and under are free. This includes all activities on the farm, except the barrel train which costs $ 1. Open until October 21, Saturday from noon to 9 pm and Sunday from noon to 7 pm at 2085 W. 900 N., Wawaka. Weekdays and evenings are by appointment only for groups.