Chrissy Baum’s father started a Christmas tree farm 50 years ago in Powder Springs and a pumpkin patch in 2011. Since then, Sleepy Hollow Farm, like other metro Atlanta farms, has turned its property into a fall entertainment zone with hayrides, petting zoos, slides and pumpkins — lots and lots of pumpkins.
“We have thousands of them,” said Baum, who runs the farm with her father Perry DeWeese and sister Suzie Kimmel, along with Chrissy and Suzie’s husbands Jeremy and Brad, respectively.
“We have pumpkins that you can fit in your hand, and our biggest one is 125 pounds. We didn’t grow that one here; it came from Michigan,” she said. On average, the pumpkins cost between $10 to $12. There is a small area where you can pick your own, but most are pre-picked.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
This year, Sleepy Hollow is offering hay-free tractor rides around the farm, a corn maze, kids games and Nature Nina (a playground in the woods with an obstacle course) for ages 5 to 12, Escape Woods game adventures and Treasure Hunters Scavenger Hunt & Puzzle Game.
“Kids love coming here, and it’s not unusual to see kids crying when their parents tell them they have to leave,” she said. “But, we just want people to have family memories year after year.”
Scottsdale Farms in Milton has already brought in eight truckloads of pumpkins, selling them for $1.15 a pound. “We’re in a beautiful setting and offer lots of family fun,” said Laura Murrey, events team member. The farm offers hayrides, corn maze and zip lines as well as a few barnyard animals to pet. “It’s magical seeing the kids come and interact. I just love watching them.”
Credit: Photo courtesy of Uncle Shuck’s/Ashley Glenn
Credit: Photo courtesy of Uncle Shuck’s/Ashley Glenn
Here are suggestions of places to find your perfect pumpkin:
— You’ll find the perfect pumpkin and enjoy hayrides at Burt’s Farm in Dawsonville. Pumpkin patch, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Hayride, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily in October and Nov. 1-10; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. thereafter. $7; free for 2 and under. 5 Burts Pumpkin Farm Road, Dawsonville. 706-265-3701, burtspumpkinfarmgeorgia.com
— There are plenty of activities — as well as pumpkins for sale — at Southern Belle Farm in McDonough, where kids can enjoy a cow train ride (a series of connected cars painted like a cow that tours the farm), a bouncy “jumping pillow” attraction, pig races, corn maze, rubber duck races and plenty more. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays, 1-7 p.m. Sundays until Nov. 3. (Call or check website for varying times of specific attractions.) Weekdays, $13.95; weekends, $22.95; free for under 3. 1658 Turner Church Road, McDonough. 770-288-2582, southernbellefarm.com
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Botanical Garden
— Scottsdale Farms sells hundreds of pumpkins of all sizes. Visitors also can enjoy petting the animals as well as hayrides, zip lines, a corn maze and lawn games. Pumpkin Patch is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays. Family Fun Field: 1-5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Pumpkin Patch is free. Family Fun Field: $12; under 3, free. 15639 Birmingham Highway, Milton. 770-777-5875, scottsdalefarms.com
— There’s plenty to do at Woodstock’s Big Springs Farms — and you can even bring your dog. The free attraction offers a wide selection of pumpkins as well as hayrides, corn maze, gem mining, farm trains and other activities that are individually priced. Noon-6 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. 2100 Sugar Pike Road, Woodstock. 678-899-3900, bigspringsfarms.net
— At Buford Corn Maze, try out the new double-barrel slide, dubbed the Cornball Slider, say hi to the animals in the Kids’ CORNner as well as enjoy a hayride and pony rides. Kids also can enjoy the corn box where they roll around in — you guessed it — corn. If you’re looking to be scared, check out the Scream Zone, where you’ll find the “Scream Vampire” in 3D, or, for more of a family fright, head to the Haunted Forest. Hours through Oct. 27: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays. Hours for Oct. 28-31: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. November hours: 6-10 p.m. Haunted Forest hours: dark-7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, dark-midnight Fridays-Saturdays, dark-10 p.m. Sundays; dark-10 p.m. Oct. 28-31 and Nov. 1-3. Free to purchase pumpkins. Corn maze, $17.95. Haunted Forest, $17.95. Combo ticket (corn maze, Haunted Forest, Kids CORNer, unlimited hayrides), $29.95. 4470 Bennett Road, Buford. bufordcornmaze.com
Credit: Photo courtesy of Uncle Shuck’s/Ashley Glenn
Credit: Photo courtesy of Uncle Shuck’s/Ashley Glenn
— Uncle Shuck’s in Dawsonville boasts a 15-acre field of corn and a six-mile corn maze. In addition to a pumpkin patch, the Dawsonville farm provides hours of family fun with wagon rides, corn cannon, tire mountain, towering goat walk, kiddie maze and jumping pad. The Haunted Trail is open Friday and Saturday nights in October. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays in October. Corn maze, $17. Haunted trail, $22. Both, $27. Free for under 4. 125 Bannister Road, Dawsonville. 770-772-6223, uncleshucks.com
— Load up the car and head to Woodstock’s Berry Patch Farms to select your pumpkin, and enjoy hayrides, a carousel and face painting. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. $5 per car. 786 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock. 470-5335-9905, berrypatchfarms.net
— A fun time is almost guaranteed at Cumming’s Warbington Farms where you can enjoy a corn maze, barnyard, hayride, tube slides, swings, corn crib and jumping pillow. And, oh yes … pumpkins! Noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, Oct. 8-24; noon-9 p.m. Oct. 11, 18, 25; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 12, 19, 26; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 13, 14, 20, Nov. 2; noon-5 p.m. Oct. 21, 28-Nov. 1. Season passes available. Ages 4-59, $15.95; ages 60 and up, $10,96; 3 and under, free; military, $12.95. 5555 Crow Road, Cumming. 770-889-1515, warbingtonfarms.com
— Here are the Fall Fun details for Powder Springs’ Sleepy Hollow Farm (covered at the top of this story): 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays and Sundays (must arrive by 5 p.m.); 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays (must arrive by 6 p.m.). $11.11-$15.20. Through Nov. 2. 628 Sleepy Hollow Road, Powder Springs. sleepyhollowtrees.com
— While the pumpkins aren’t for sale at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Midtown attraction features a creative display of pumpkins, gourds and such that will certainly put you in the Halloween spirit. 9 a.m.-7 p.m Tuesdays-Sundays. $26.96 Tuesday-Fridays, $29.95 weekends. Ages 3-12: $23.95 for Tuesdays-Fridays; $26.95 weekends. 1345 Piedmont Ave. 404-876-5859, atlantabg.org
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