Pumpkin Picking in New Jersey – A great fall activity for kids
Posted: Thursday, September 20, 2007
by Frank Dalotto
New Jersey Leisure Guide
Pumpkin picking is a great fall activity and a memorable experience for families with young kids?
Spend a day with the kids in New Jersey farm country picking pumpkins, and time permitting, add on a hay ride or a trip to the corn maze.
The pumpkin picking season in New Jersey begins as early as September 15, with peak activity from October 1 October 15, with the season ending on Halloween Day, and on some farms, into early November.
A few of the more popular New Jersey fall pumpkin attractions and pumpkin picking farms with fall and Halloween attractions for kids are described here.
The South Jersey Pumpkin Show Annual family Fall Festival, October 18 -19, 2008, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds, 3001 Carmel Road, Millville, NJ (856) 765-0118
The event includes many artists, craftsmen, Bluegrass and Country Bands, pumpkin contests, hay rides, games, and more.
Here is a list of New Jersey's best pumpkin picking farms with activities for kids . Please call ahead to confirm activity schedule and get your travel directions.
Howell Living History Farm
101 Hunter Rd.
Titusville, NJ
609-737-3299
Owned by Mercer County and operated by Mercer County Park Commission, they offer excellent fall programs for kids including: The Popcorn and Pumpkin Harvest - September, 27, 2008; The Fall Festival - October 4-5, 2008; and The Fall Foliage Hayrides - October 18, 2008.
Admission: Adults & Children ages 13 & up: $8.00; Children ages 5 to12: $6.00 (ages 4 and under, free). Group Rates for 20 or more, pre-paid (call for details) Private Events (call for details). There is no admission fee for the Howell Farm itself, located about a mile from the maze up Valley Road.
C. Casola Farms
Rt 79 N (2-1/2 miles South of Rt 520)
Marlboro, NJ
732-946-8885
Features pumpkin picking, corn mazes, hayrides, pony rides, refreshments, and Halloween characters and scenery. Open Weekends from September 27 - October 26th ( & Columbus Day) The popular Annual Howling Night of Terror is held Fri, Sat and Sun evenings, 7PM to 10:30 PM, September 26th through November 2, 2008.
Dewolf's "U-Pick" Farm
10 West Colliers Mills Road, (off RT 539)
New Egypt, NJ
609-758-2424
Offers a variety of fun fall attractions including; pumpkin picking, hay rides, face painting, a kid friendly haunted house, and three age appropriate corn mazes. Open weekends beginning September 20 through the last weekend in October, 2008, Mon-Fri: 3 PM-5PM, Sat & Sun 10 AM- 5 PM.
Grochowicz Farm Market
2401 Rt 31 South
Glen Gardner
908-537-4332
Every weekend from September 27th through the end of October.
Admission $8 (Kids under 2 are free)
Kids can enjoy an educational hayride through the farm where they will get to enjoy corn mazes, cows, games and interactive activities. Kids can Pick their own pumpkins
Open to the public from 11 am to 5 pm.
Indian Acres Tree Farms
Tuckerton Road
Medford
(609) 953-0087
Kids will love pumpkin picking and the Halloween entertainment with scary actors entertaining kids on a 25 minute wagon ride. It runs for twelve nights in October. The Daytime Pumpkin Farm is open Weekends, Sept. 20 - Oct. 26, 2008, 10 am 5 pm.
They offer birthday parties, school trips and group events with discounts for 25 or more.
Schaefer Farms
1051 Rte 523
Flemington NJ
(908) 782-2705
Features friendly farm animals and a tour of the educational barn, a corn maze pumpkin picking with free hay ride with the purchase of a pumpkin. Weekends & Holidays From September 20 thru October 26, 2008. There is also the annual Fright Fest, with a scary hayride. Beginning Friday, October 3rd then every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October thru and including Saturday November 1, 2008. 7:00pm till 10:00pm.
Frank Dalotto is a freelance writer and travel consultant. His specialty is writing articles about New Jersey Leisure activities and soft adventure tourism. Frank is the publisher of New Jersey Leisure Guide http://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com/ and Soft Adventure Tourism http://www.soft-adventure-tourism.com/
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