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Area Orchards and Farms Bring the Fun

While autumn officially started on September 22 this year, there’s something about October that really kicks off the season. It’s the crisp mornings and evenings, Halloween and its spooky decor and, of course, everyone’s favorite activities: apple picking and hunting for pumpkins.

Fox Cities communities don’t fall short of either, each providing unique experiences for young families and those young at heart. 
Check out three area favorites:

Cuff Farms, Hortonville

Open late September through October for their pumpkin harvest (and other seasonal events throughout the year).

A 5th generation farm beginning in 1849, Cuff Farms is now a combined three farm areas (250 acres filled with a variety of produce.
“We grow corn, soybeans, oats, rye, hay, asparagus, strawberries, mums and fall items,” Lois Cuff, who owns and operates Cuff Farms with her husband Sandy, daughter Maggie and son-in-law Alex, says. “We raise pasture chickens, hogs and sheep and sell the meat directly to our customers. We harvest sap and produce maple syrup. We have a large farm garden which supplies produce for our pickled items and toppings for our pizza. We also donate produce to our local food pantry.”

Cuff Farms offers pick-your-own pumpkins during the fall harvest, which includes wagon rides and their free family-friendly play area with a corn maze, a straw bale maze, a straw bale slide, a combine slide, rock n rollers, a corn pool, grain cart basketball, a straw bale tunnel, a rhythm wall and room to run and roam.
“We are very weather related because all activities are outdoors. During our fall harvest we have our food booth open with our own grown pork smoked into pulled pork nachos and our apple cider donuts made from scratch,” Cuff says.
“We are a very family friendly farm. We have no entrance fee and no parking fee. You can play for free and all of our fall items are harvested and sold separately or you can take our pumpkin picking wagon ride for $12 and pick directly from the field: one pumpkin, any size; mini pumpkins, gourds and colored corn. You can bring your own food (no alcohol please) or purchase from our food booth or from the food trucks that may join us for the day.”

Hofacker’s Hillside Orchard, Appleton

Open September and October for pick-your-own and retail apples and October for pick-your-own and retail pumpkins.

Operating for 15 years, Hofacker’s Hillside Orchard came to be because of good ol’ neighborly values.
“It was a funny scenario,” owner Greg Hofacker says. “We own a dairy farm just to the north. I came down to ask if I could hunt on the fenceline. He had a for-sale sign for the orchard. That’s how I ended up buying it. Fifteen years ago did I think I’d be owning an orchard? No way. You never know your future.”

Hofacker’s Hillside Orchard comprises four separate orchards, all ripe for picking–pun intended! 2500 apple trees make up the landscape, with several varieties available for pick-your-own purchases, as well as retail within their store, that also offers caramel for apples and baked goods like baked apples and cupcakes. 
“We start with Paula Reds and Zestars, and then we go through Honey Golds and Macs and Cortlands,” Hofacker explains. “We usually end with Red Delicious and Empires. The season usually goes through October. It’s all weather related. The apples are actually running a little bit early this year. It’s based on an early spring… it’s all up to Mother Nature.”
“It’s always free to walk around the orchard. We don’t charge admission,” he adds. “When families pick apples, they’re welcome to go into the corn maze. The pumpkins are going to be later this year… probably about October 7 before you start seeing a bunch of pumpkins out there.

“It’s just relaxed and peaceful. It’s about getting away from the routine. There’s a babbling creek here, we set up a picture spot near the pond. Bring the kids and let them run. Let them burn some energy. It’s for everyone!

“I like people, I like conversing with people. A lot of people will come to buy apples, but they’ll stay to talk. We have a lot of high schoolers who work for us on the weekends. We teach them the old style of customer service: you put your phone down, you make eye contact and you smile.”

Mulberry Lane Farm, Hilbert

Open May 1 through October 31 with seasonal operating dates and times.

“Spring comes to life with the birth of all the baby farm animals. Baby kid goats, baby lambs, baby pigs, baby calves, baby bunnies, baby chicks, baby, baby do we have babies! And then, of course, fall, is our favorite time of year!” Bonnie Keyes, who owns the farm with husband “Farmer Pat,” says. “All guests visit the PuMpKiN Patch to pick their own free pumpkin. (One free pumpkin per paid admission.) October is the only month we are open 7 days a week.”

Mulberry Lane Farm opened in October 2005 with the mission to “provide an ideal country learning environment where people of all ages can interact and learn about farm animals through “hands-on” group and self-guided tours. 
“What separates us from other farms is that we encourage our guests to enter the pens and interact with the farm animals,” Keyes says. “That’s why we refer to ourselves as a petting farm vs. a petting zoo. A zoo implies you are on the outside of the pen looking in. At Mulberry Lane Farm you enter the pens. You can feel the wool of the sheep. Pet a pig and feel the pig’s fine hair. You even get to milk a live cow!”

Mulberry Lane Farm’s food trailer is open during the weekends in fall, where they serve freshly dipped caramel apples (plain, peanut, or sprinkles), hot State Fair Mini Donuts, hot dogs, chili, hot apple cider and hot chocolate.
October Events: Pumpkin Harvest Celebration Event is held mid-September through the end of October during which time our guests visit the PuMpKiN Patch to each pick their own free pumpkin.

Halloween Costume Party: last Sunday in October. Children ages 2 to 12 receive $2 off their admission when they are dressed in their Halloween costumes.