Your guide to pumpkin picking in Dayton

There’s nothing more quintessential in the fall than a pumpkin. They can be used for decorations like jack-o-lanterns, they can be made into delicious pies or rolls, and on occasion, they’ve been known to magically transform into horse-drawn carriages.

Why not experience some of the magic yourself? Sure, you can buy a pumpkin at the grocery this time of year. But why not make an experience of it. Go out to the pumpkin patch to pick your very own at any of these Dayton area farms:

You can buy your pumpkins pre-picked on weekdays at Iron's Fruit Farm, or you can pick your own on weekends.  (Source: Facebook)

Irons Fruit Farm
Location:
1640 Stubbs Mill Road, Lebanon.
Hours:
They offer pre-picked pumpkins daily, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Pick your own is available on weekends: Saturday 10 a.m. to 6p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost
: $.48 per pound
Best time to go:
From now until the end of October.
Insider tip: Wear boots if it's muddy and gloves if you don't want to touch the prickly stems.
Tasty treats:
Starting in October, the farm will offer pumpkin donuts and pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies. Sometimes they'll bake pumpkin bread as well. You can always count on them to have homemade apple cider, apple cider donuts and caramel apples. 
Other activities:
Every year, Irons has a corn maze from the end of September through October.  You can go on a hayride, even if you're not interested in picking your own pumpkins. There's usually music out front and plenty of picnic tables in the front.  They also have animals to visit out in the corral. 
More info:
Website | 513-932-2853
Social media info:
Facebook

Fulton Farms
Location:
2393 State Route 202, Troy.
Hours:
Pumpkin picking on October weekends between 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Fulton's Farm market is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Cost
: Hayrides are offered by appointment only for groups of 10 or more people Monday through Friday at $6 a person between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. This includes the hayride, choice of pumpkin, an apple and access to the activity area. Hayrides on the weekends are offered at $7 a person and have the same benefits but does not include an apple.
Best time to go:
Pumpkin picking begins on Oct. 1 and goes until Oct. 30.
Insider tip:
They offer a huge selection of pumpkins, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding one.
Tasty treats:
Fulton's Farm includes an ice cream shop that serves apple cider slushies. They also sell pre-picked apples, caramel apples, all kinds of different popcorns, and sometimes they'll even have hot apple dumplings.
Other activities:
Kids have plenty to do at Fulton Farms. They have a giant slide that lets off into a big pile of straw, in addition to a kid-friendly corn maze, and farm animals including pigs, chickens, goats and sheep.
More info:
Website | 937-335-6983
Social media info:
Facebook

Young's Jersey Dairy
Location: 
6880 Springfield Xenia Road, Yellow Springs.
Hours:
Open 11 a.m. -6 p.m. daily.
Cost
: $8 per pumpkin, including a wagon ride to the patch
Best time to go: 
Now! Pumpkin picking ends on Oct. 23.
Insider tip: 
Find the pumpkin that's right for you. They have thousands of pre-picked pumpkins, as well, in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Tasty treats: 
Young's is famous for its ice cream and right now the best-selling seasonal flavor is pumpkin and cinnamon. If it's too cold for you to enjoy ice cream then try some cinnamon sugar pumpkin donut holes, homemade pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread. They also have an assortment of homemade cheeses from baby swiss to pepperjack. Their most popular item is the cheddar cheese curds that you can even order deep fried at either of the two restaurants. Recently they've offered buffalo and sweet chili renditions of these fried delights.
Other activities: 
You could easily spend all day at Young's. Meet some friendly farm animals at their petting zoo, get lost in their corn maze, play miniature golf or test your strength at the driving range.  They have not one but two full-service restaurants, so you could theoretically enjoy lunch and dinner. You don't have to be interested in pick-your-own pumpkins to enjoy a wagon ride around the farm.
More info: 
Website | 937-325-0629
Social media info: Facebook

Young's Jersey Dairy is famous for their ice cream.  Right now, their most popular seasonal flavor is pumpkin and cinnamon. (Source: Facebook)

Brumbaugh Fruit and Fun Farm
Location:
6420 Arcanum-Hollansburg Road, Arcanum.
Hours:
Saturday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 7 p.m.
Cost
: $8 admission to the entire farm
Best time to go:
Now! The Fun Farm ends on Oct. 30.
Other activities:
Brumbaugh Fruit and Fun Farm has over 24 different activities for you and your family. Ride high above the forest on their zipline, or learn about farm animals at their enchanted goat fort. The Willy Worm Wagon Ride and Human Hamster Ball are unconventional ways to experience the farm.  Check out the Family Fun Map and don't miss out on a thing.
More info:
Website | 937-692-8084
Social media info:
Facebook

Peifer Orchards
Location:
4590 U.S. 68 North, Yellow Springs.
Hours:
Monday – Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturdays (in October) 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost
: They offer pick your own and pre-picked pumpkins for $.39 per pound
Best time to go:
Pumpkin picking starts Oct. 1 and has no expected end date.
Insider tip:
Make sure you're dressed appropriately. Wear boots if it's muddy.
Tasty treats:
Fill up on delicious pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bars before heading out to the patch. They also have pumpkin butter, pre-picked apples and homemade apple cider. 
Other activities:
Check out their extensive market after picking your own pumpkin.
More info:
Website | 937-767-2208
Social media info:
Facebook

Tüken's Farm
Location:
15725 Eaton Pike, West Alexandria
Hours:
Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $. 40 per pound
Best time to go:
Pumpkin picking is available until at least Halloween, but sometimes even into November.
Insider tip:
Tüken's pumpkin patch is 20 acres and they specialize in pumpkins that have thick stems. Usually once the vine is dry, it gets brittle, and so it's easy to snap the stem right off. Mary Tuken, co-owner of Tukens Farm, said, "Be careful not to snap the stem off from the pumpkin because that's part of its character." They have pumpkins in the field from 1 lb. to 50 lbs., so there's something for everyone. If you do happen to choose a large pumpkin, they have wagons available to help you carry it back from the field.
Tasty treats: They sell homemade rice cereal treats in the shape of pumpkins and apples. They also have homemade pumpkin cookies, pumpkin sweet bread and pumpkin fudge. That's not to mention all their apple related treats, some of which are caramel apple pie bars and apple pie fudge.
Other activities:
Tüken's has a petting zoo complete with pigs, llamas, sheep and goats.You can also pick your own apples while you're there.  20acres
More info:
Website | (937) 687-3848
Social media info:
Facebook

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