Monday Memories: Fall Farm Tours

Many years ago, when my two oldest were just tots, we would go on the Medina County Fall Foliage Tour. Held on the second weekend of October, it’s a drive yourself tour of family farms, agribusinesses, historical societies and parks. It would always feature farm animals, pumpkin patches, hay rides, and Pioneers in the Park, where costumed volunteers would demonstrate frontier skills. We would go with three other families from the firm that my husband worked for at the time. I think by the time we had our third child, everyone gradually became too busy with other activities, so we stopped going, which was a shame because my son has no memories of it.

This all came to mind in September, so I looked online to see if the event still took place. It did! I asked my oldest daughter if she was interested in taking her family and they were all in. We had a wonderful day with them:

My grandson was thrilled to get to climb aboard this steam locomotive and caboose at an 1895 train depot, which was our first stop of the day.

Next, we visited the Haven Hill Farm and Greenhouse. They had some friendly goats you could pet.

And plenty of farm equipment on which you were allowed to take the driver's seat.

Next to the tractors was this Model T Ford. I opened the door and told my grandson he could get in. A few minutes later, a man began hovering nearby and it dawned on me that maybe we weren't supposed to actually sit inside! Lol, I hurried my grandson out of it.

The greenhouse featured lots of herbs that you were encouraged to pick and smell; interesting ones like pineapple basil and chocolate mint. There were also turtles, tadpoles in tanks, and this alligator which fooled me until we got close up.

Our last stop was Beriswill Farm. It was huge and we spent over two hours there. They had a small barn with baby animals, like these pigs.

But the best part was the activities, most of which my grandkids were the right age for. This was a covered wagon full of dried corn and trucks which my grandson loved.

There were wooden Mr. Potato Head boards set up, as well as other games like giant sling shots with tennis balls, and bales of hay with saddles and lassos that your could use on toy steers.

The music garden was a big hit!

This made me laugh . . . a cow you could 'milk.'

My granddaughter took it quite seriously. She just turned two, so I'm really not sure she even knows what milking a cow means, but it was hilarious. The pink udder was full of water and you really had to squeeze to get it to come out, but she did it!

When I got home, I looked to see if we had any pictures of when my daughter (grandkids' mom) was on the Farm Tour. This was exactly 30 years to the day. Hard to believe how fast time flies. Wasn't she a little pumpkin?

Do you have any Fall traditions/activities?