Hello and welcome to fall, the season of the pumpkin. Summer hasn’t left entirely just yet, with temperatures expected in the 80s this weekend, which means you could get your Autumn festivities started before the colder and rainy weather arrives. With rain expected to arrive as early as next weekend, if you want to experience the greatness of fall outdoors when it’s still warm and dry, this is your weekend, and you just never know when or if you might get another one. 

Pumpkin patches aren’t just something you did when you were a kid; they have come back in a big way as many local farms try to draw crowds while the public’s favorite squash is in full bloom. The Portland area has a bushel of pumpkin patches to choose from (many more than we can hope to cover here), and each one has something unique to offer. Here are a few select choices. We’ll be sure to give you more options next week when we’re on the threshold of October and the official start of pumpkin pandemonium. 

Frog Pond Farm

You may find many other local family-owned operations, but I challenge you to find one that puts on a better experience for all age groups. Sure, pumpkins are what draws you in, but they are the only pumpkin patch I have been to that also has enough animals around that they could start calling themselves a zoo. Before or after you choose your pumpkin, you can wander amongst a flock of Alpacas (yes, it’s technically a herd, but when you’re amongst them, they just seem more like a flock) and feed them right from your hands. There are also camels, emus, pigs, goats, as well as mini horses for you fans of Li’l Sebastian. There are games, handmade goods, and treats. Parking is free, and admission is very reasonable at $12 – which covers all activities; the only added charge would be any purchased goods. The owners are such friendly people; they wander the farm and make sure all the guests are having a great time. If you once wished you had friends that owned a farm, well, now you do. We go there at least once in the fall to get our pumpkins, and we always feel like we are getting special treatment. You can tell they put so much thought and care into making everyone feel welcome on their farm.  

Pumpkin Patch at Sauvie Island 

I don’t pretend to be a historian, and perhaps there is a pumpkin patch out there that predates this one, but I believe it is Portland’s longest-running one. Also known as The Pumpkin Patch or the Original Pumpkin Patch, it’s definitely the most well-known even if it turns out the claims about its duration are not accurate. 

Admission and parking are free, and with its corn mazes (yes, plural – one traditional and a separate haunted one), carnival-inspired food, farm animals, games, and a gift shop, there is definitely something for everyone, even if you don’t need a pumpkin. It’s quite a drive for most people (speaking to both scenery and staying on point with duration), but worth it. There’s only one road in or out of the island, so make sure you intend to be there a while if you end up going – it may not be up to you in the end how long you stay. It is one of the most popular pumpkin patches in the area, so even if you find a parking spot in the field, you might have a tough time getting back to it. Once you’re on the property, everything other than admission or parking costs something so if you do make the trek out there, bring extra cash with you. 

Bella Organic Farm

Whether they meant to confuse people by thinking they were actually at The Pumpkin Patch remains unclear, but you can’t argue with the aggressive decision on their location. Whether you intend to arrive at Bella Fam or not, you’ll definitely be confused if you’re supposed to turn in or not, as they are situated on the same road as The Pumpkin Patch and have many similar attractions. You won’t be disappointed if you arrive here instead of the more well-known patch just up the road unless you have a coupon or discount specific to a certain company. If you’re paying full price regardless of the location, it doesn’t hurt to stop here; if anything, you’re that much closer to the bridge back to town when it’s time to leave. If you are trying to find a true-to-life Herb Ertlinger fruit wine, you can find something like it here, along with cider tasting – which is an excellent new twist on the pumpkin patch experience. With so many similar farms out there, you have to find something unique, especially for adults that may not have kids yet but still want to wander the farm with a sense of childlike wonder. Nothing makes that happen quicker than wine or cider in hand. 

There isn’t a charge for parking or admission, but virtually everything else comes with a cost, and most items require cash, so make sure to have some on hand before you head over. 

Plumper Pumpkin Patch

A very neat family-owned farm that has been welcoming guests for 24 years, they are an excellent option for those residing closer to Beaverton or Tigard than Portland or Wilsonville. $13 gets you admission to the farm, and their farm-fresh donuts are worth the trip on their own, but the pumpkins grow large here, and there are plenty of things to keep your little ones entertained for more than a little while. They have rolling hills with play areas, an obstacle course, tube slides, and pony rides. It’s a great way to spend your fall morning or afternoon. Just make sure you get the donuts on the way out. Otherwise, there is no way they will last until you get back in the car to head home. If you manage to leave the bag in the car, you might come back to the best-smelling vehicle you’ve ever been in. 

Other Activities

If you’re not looking for a farm experience just yet, there are other fall-related options out there for you. The 99W Drive-In Theater in Newberg is showing E.T. this weekend, with the gates opening at 630pm and the movie starting just after dusk, around 715pm. If you can manage to stay awake for the second feature, you can catch Jaws as well, but you won’t be getting home until around midnight, so don’t stay for the whole thing if you need to get up early the following day. 

If you don’t want to head all the way out to the Drive-In, you can take a scenic walk or hike or drive looking for trees changing color a little early, attend a high school or college football game, or have some friends and family over for a cookout before the weather turns. 

Whatever you choose to do, raise a glass and welcome fall; we’ve waited all year to see it here in the northwest.