When autumn leaves dominate the local landscape and pumpkin spice adorns lattes everywhere, it’s time for pumpkin picking. Plus, selecting your future jack-o’-lanterns isn’t all you can do at these Southwestern Pennsylvania Farms. Some farms include zipping through tall corn mazes, sweet, treats, hayrides, and much more. But even a quieter scene like sipping hot beverages at already-stocked farm stands provides fun for all. No matter your style or speed (or who you have in tow), we’ve got ideas on how to maximize the season at farms across Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Pumpkin Patches Around Pittsburgh
Half Crown Hill Orchard
600 North Branch Road
In McDonald, pick your own pumpkins (or apples!), or hit the farm stand, which also sells honey, beeswax products and other farm-related goods. Try to find the queen bee buzzing around the observation beehive, and enjoy apples that have been pressed into cider and UV-pasteurized at Sally’s Cider Press.
Janoski’s Farm & Greenhouse
1714 Route 30 (Lincoln Hwy)
Throughout the year, this Clinton outpost sells 40-plus varieties of produce grown on 200 acres. On autumn weekends, Pumpkinland, just behind the market, features a stocked patch, scenic hayride, corn maze, pony rides, petting zoo, haunted barn, and more. BYO lunch, or enjoy snacks from the concession stand.
Iron Mills Farmstead
252 Greenfield Road
Open through the beginning of November, a ticket to this New Wilmington farm offers wagon rides to their pumpkin patch, fresh cider, straw mountains, a corn maze, and many more fun activities for kids.
Simmons Farm
170 Simmons Road
Every day through November 3 you can take to Simmons Farm for Fall festivities. Get ready for pumpkin picking, hayrides, cut-your-own flowers, mega slides, rubber duck races, pumpkin corn hole, and plenty of mazes. You can even take home an ear of Indian corn while supplies last.
Shenot Farm & Market
3754 Wexford Run Road
From late September through October, this Wexford venue allows visitors to pick their own pumpkins. Enjoy a hayride to the patch, or follow a half-mile scenic walking trail. Or find pumpkins, corn stalks, straw bales, and decorative gourds at their market.
Soergel Orchards
2573 Brandt School Road
This year-round venue in Wexford welcomes the fall season with pumpkins plus family-friendly rides on wagons and apple picking on Fridays. They also host harvest festivals throughout October on Saturday and Sundays with food, farm animals, and fall-tinged festivities to be enjoyed by all ages.
The SpringHouse
1531 PA-136
Located south of the city, the family-owned The SpringHouse has an allure for its scratch family recipes served for lunch and dinner. After chowing down, take part in their weekend festivities, featuring hay rides, corn mazes, a hog roast on Sundays, and of course, a pumpkin patch.
Trax Farms
528 Trax Road
A South Hills tradition for many local families, the 150-year-old farm showcases hayrides to the patch where pick-your-own pumpkin options reign. There’s also a giant, three-acre corn maze for kids and adults alike to get lost in. Other draws range from live music to food trucks (think pizza, burgers, tacos, and kettle corn, too) and sweet farm treats like candy apples.
Triple B Farms
823 Berry Lane
This Monongahela outpost has been growing since 1985. They do autumn right, with PYO (pick-your-own) pumpkins (and flowers) plus plenty of creative fall fun. Admission includes scootin’ scooters, grain-bin basketball, a chicken show, two corn mazes, giant slides, a barnyard carnival, and more. Be sure to also stop into the weekend food barn for apple fries, apple cider donuts, apple cider slushies, and other delicious snacks.
Story by Corinne Whiting / Photography by Katie Long
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