Guest post written by Elizabeth, Madison town specialist and fellow local mom. She’s always on the hunt for hidden gems and fun family spots. If you’re looking for a quick, kid-friendly escape close to home, Elizabeth has you covered.
Happy October! While temperature-wise it may still feel like August, we are ready for all the fall activities and ventured out to Ort Farms in Long Valley to officially kick off pumpkin season!
Full disclosure: I really do not enjoy how expensive it has gotten to visit a pumpkin patch with your kids, but I find Ort Farms’ entrance fee to at least be fair. The entrance fee includes access to a lot of different attractions, and on weekends there are two different price points depending on how much you are looking to do. We did go on a Friday, where pricing is less than half the cost of the weekend ($7.18 per person; children three and under are free), though fewer activities are open. Either way, my kids still had a blast, and we spent two hours on the farm!
Upon entry, there is a gigantic play area with multiple play structures and swing sets, including a long train for kids to climb on. They also have some fun tire swings and a playhouse. This was a great way for us to start our day at the farm and burn off some energy.
After leaving the play area, we headed toward the you-pick fields, where they have multiple different photo setups—so come camera-ready!
My kids were a little too small (and scared) for the haunted hay maze, but this would be a huge hit for kids in the 5–10 age range. They did enjoy the non-haunted version and spent a lot of time sticking their heads into various goblin photo opportunities.
They do not offer hayrides during the weekdays, which was a little disappointing, but we were still able to pick apples when we went. There are options for either $8 or $12 bags (not priced per person to pick, which is nice when picking with toddlers…) for apple picking and a variety of different apples to choose from. The apples were high up, so I did a lot of lifting to get the good ones—but we enjoyed them for the next week!
After picking apples, my kids headed over to the animal area, where there are options to feed the animals or just enjoy their company. We spent a lot of time with the two adorable goats, the sweet baby calf, and the noisy chickens. Since we could not go out to the field to pick pumpkins, we settled for a fun Peppa Pig–painted pumpkin in the amazing storefront!
Ort is famous for their cider donuts and slushies, which did not disappoint! They also have freshly made ice cream and a variety of seasonal goods and pies.
On the weekends, they also offer live music and different themed festivals, food vendors, a cow train ride, pony rides, monster truck rides, and an apple cannon! We also passed multiple other farms on our way out to Ort, so if you are looking to make a full day of farm hopping, there are other local options to stop by.
Happy Fall!
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Laura Deutsch is a realtor who specializes in helping people relocate from the city to the suburbs of New Jersey. Laura took the plunge herself from city to suburban living (not easy!) and is passionate about helping others do the same without all of the stress. Finding the right town to call home is just as important as finding the perfect house, and that’s why Laura’s tailored approach ensures that you not only love your home, but also your new community.
- Contact Laura if you’re in search of a realtor who takes a personalized approach to finding the perfect home and community for you.
- Join Laura’s informational facebook group, Moving to the NJ Suburbs, to join like minded individuals also looking to move to the NJ Suburbs.
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Date: Sunday, January 25th, 8:00 – 9:00 PM
Place: Online (link to webinar will be sent a few days prior)
