Over the weekend my husband Danny, younger cousin Alyssa, and myself decided to road-trip down to the valley to Ellis’ Harvest Home and take advantage of their opening day activities in the spirit of all things fall. Being from Lingle, Ellis’ Harvest Home isn’t exactly a new experience to me; I remember when the Ellis family first started out with just the corn maze. Since then, the family-run operation has grown significantly adding on their farmers markets with fresh picked, grown-on-site produce and the ‘yard’ activities that stole our afternoon. For a nominal fee at the ‘Ticket Coop’, we had all-day access to everything that the Harvest Home had to offer—including the pumpkin patch that went on and on in traditional orange, red, white, and the still unripen green. 

Beyond the ticket coop, we were met with a small hay maze, complete with ride-able toy tractors for kids waiting inside the maze walls, a climb-able spider web that, in my opinion, would make for a great hammock to watch a fall sunset, a small petting zoo, and corn filled wagon boxes. Those activities were just the start. In the distance stood a swing set, corn cannon and tomato launcher, and a green and orange jump pillow that models an in-ground trampoline. We were told the jump pillow was new to the operation but clearly it was a big hit to the kids who were having a grand old time jumping around on it. While we waited for my longtime best friend, Chandler Jones, and her daughter Gracie to arrive, we took a trip through the hay maze and grabbed some lunch from their concession barn. And then we made good use of those green wristbands. 

Per the Ellis Harvest Home website, this is the 11th year for the corn maze. Last year, in 2017, the corn maze paid tribute to the Eclipse in its layout. In years prior, it’s also paid homage to our military. This year, the corn maze theme is ‘Lost in the Patch’, which, from an aerial view, giant pumpkins can be seen along with what resembles leaves and a post boasting 2018. 

We didn’t go through the corn maze this time. Instead, we watched Gracie and Alyssa jump from one corn box to the next, the girls played on the playset, and Gracie tried her hand at the spider-web. We walked over to the petting zoo and were greeted by piglets frolicking around, a goat pen, baby lambs, roosters, and hens. 

As the website claims, the biggest attraction to Ellis’ Harvest Home is in fact the corn maze. Regarding the construction of the corn maze, as the Ellis Harvest Home website reads, “The design in the corn is the walking paths, which are about four feet wide.  The corn is sprayed out in early June to create the design. After that the weeds are sprayed and then tilled to make the paths nice and smooth.  Early in the season, before the corn is frozen it is easier to get lost because you can’t see through the corn. Later in the season, after a freeze or two and thousands of footprints resulting in hard packed surfaces, it is a little harder to get lost in the corn maze”. 

Following our trip to the petting zoo, we let the girls practice their jumping skills on the jump pillow. It didn’t disappoint. The enormous jump pillow had plenty of room for all the kids and they were still able to run, slide, and jump until their hearts content. 

By their own words, the Ellis Harvest Home promotes a “family atmosphere” and therefore nothing about their maze or their yard activities are scary, even if you partake in their corn maze by flashlight on Saturday nights. If you are scared, there are a couple of friendly dogs and cats roaming around that could probably lend a hand.

We left the jump pillow for the pumpkin patch with wagon in tote. There is the option of grabbing a pre-picked pumpkin or searching for your own in the patch; we weren’t about to turn down the challenge. In the pumpkin patch, we got lost among warty pumpkins, Cinderella -Coach inspired orange pumpkins, red centerpiece pumpkins, and small white pumpkins that fit perfectly in both Alyssa and Gracie’s hands. Way down the patch, Danny was on a mission for the most unusual pumpkins he could find which resulted in a giant-red-oblong-shaped pumpkin that makes the perfect fall decoration. But it was closer to our wagon that we found what we thought was the mother of all pumpkins—a 72-pounder that required a brisk walk to load before dropping. 

Ellis’ Harvest Home opens yearly the last Saturday of September and closes on Halloween, October 31. Per their website, they are open Fridays from 2pm to 6pm, Saturdays from 10am to 10pm, and Sundays 10am to 6pm. Admission for 4 and older is $10.00 per person with 3 and younger free with paid adult. Any pumpkins picked or chosen cost extra.

With full wagon in tote, we weighed our pumpkin and paid, then let the girls take one more trip through the hay maze before the ride home. It was a great way to spend the afternoon and a fun way to celebrate the fall season. If you’re looking for a fall experience, an hour down the road is all you need to go.