Best Fall Farms in Long Island
My recommendations on where to get your pumpkin patch fix
I debated not writing a post this week as I know so much of our community is impacted by the horrific events in Israel. The stories of families and especially of children in Israel are disgusting, and my heart goes out to all of you.
We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy the time with our families and explore these pumpkin patches! I know our children can be frustrating, but I think it’s essential we don’t take it for granted right now.
On the Fall activities front, I do not like apple picking. It is not worth the hype! My kids complain about walking; I have too many apples. I will not make apple pie- I already have too many frozen bananas for banana bread that haven’t been cooked.
I can get down with pumpkin patches, pumpkin-flavored beer, and pumpkin-spiced crullers from Patti Ann’s. I like farms with pumpkins, slides, and a mix of adventures for the kids. Because my in-laws have a house on the North Fork, we’ve been lucky enough to explore Long Island a lot. I’m sure there are many great options Upstate, in Westchester, and New Jersey- I like to write about what I know!
My list is sorted from closest to Brooklyn to furthest away:
Queens County Farm
Queens County Farm is the best farm option in the five boroughs. (If you’re curious about a first-hand account of the closest farm- Green Meadows, DM me). Queens County Farm has a pumpkin patch through October 31st and hay rides through the 20th. They have animals and hay you can purchase to feed them. This is more history and education-oriented than some of the ones further out, but the convenience can’t be beat!
F&W Schmitt’s Farm
During the Fall of 2020, I was on maternity leave, and I took two great trips here during weekdays without the crowds. My daughter was three at the time and absolutely loved the play area. They have around 20 different slides out of various farm infrastructures- hay barrels, tractors, etc. There is a giant pumpkin patch and sunflower farm, though I believe the sunflowers might be starting to wither now. F&W does not have many animals, but it is an excellent destination for the play area. I would expect crowds on the weekends just by the layout of the parking lot.
Waterdrinker Farm
The farms become even more exciting as you get closer to the North Fork. Waterdrinker admission includes access to sunflowers and pumpkins, barnyard animals, mini golf, tractor pedal cars, an obstacle course, a wooden playland, family photo spots & spooky fall fun. My children love the giant trampoline/bounce pad (pictured). The Manorville location is closer. The Riverhead one is newer and could be less crowded.
Harbes Family Farm
Calling this entity a farm is a stretch of the definition. It definitely used to be a farm, and now it’s a kids’ oasis. This location is open almost year-round, so they have a lot of infrastructure for toys and events. Kids can play here for a long time, and a winery is on-site. Quite an enjoyable place for the whole family. Fair warning: the traffic gets crazy on the road into the parking lot. Once you’ve arrived, the place has plenty of space, but you might consider turning back a few times just waiting to turn to the parking lot. Arrive early on Saturday and Sunday!
They have a few different attractions at the venue. If you’ve got young kids, you’re looking for the Harbes Barnyard Adventure.
Can you believe we have another weekend with a rainy forecast? Thankfully, a friend got my daughter and me tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras movie on Saturday. We have the perfect activity lined up!
-Katie