Embrace a Smoky Mountain Autumn with Apple Orchards, Pumpkin Patches & Corn Mazes
When the air turns chilly and leaves change their hue, we are called to apple orchards, pumpkins patches, and corn mazes. These everlasting connections to a season of harvest is engrained in the collective American psyche. Since my boys were little, we’ve anticipated the time of year when we can pick our own crisp apples, carve a pumpkin of our choosing, or navigate our way through tall stalks of corn.
Apple-picking fun
Living in Western North Carolina, we have an abundance of orchards. In fact, Hendersonville has been dubbed Apple Country because it yields 85 percent of North Carolina’s apples. The climate and soil in the western part of the state is perfect for the hardy fruit.
I remember being a small girl and my parents taking me to the Apple Festival in downtown Hendersonville. We’d watch the parade, ride a few kiddie rides and never leave without devouring a few scrumptious apple turnovers. This was a tradition I carried on to my sons. Once they got a bit older, we visited orchards to pick our own apples.
Smoky Mountain orchards boast numerous varieties including Honey Crisp, Shizuka, Braeburn, Winesap, Fuji, Granny Smith, Jonagold, and more. If you’re unsure of your favorite type, most orchards offer taste tests so you can promise to make your palate happy.
Each year our family selects a regional orchard to explore. We arrive early on a weekend morning. The earlier, the better, if you want to beat the crowds. We grab a basket and get lost among the rows of fragrant trees, picking, laughing, and enjoying the simple pleasure of plucking fruit from the vine. Afterward, we inevitably have a little fun with a hayride, apple cannon game at the orchard, or coming home to make cider and apple sauce.
Finding that perfect pumpkin
Fall is not complete until one visits a pumpkin patch and enjoys a subsequent pumpkin-carving soirée. Harvested in October, pumpkins are a nutritious and versatile orange fruit that have become ubiquitous to autumn and Halloween.
Similar to our apple orchard experience, the boys and I enjoy frolicking through a pumpkin patch to find that perfect jack-o’-lantern pumpkin. It’s funny that we’ll drive 30 minutes to a patch when we could just as easily purchase one at the grocery store. For most people, there’s something nostalgic about a field full of pumpkins. It not only brings up personal memories, but it’s an idyllic image of fall at its finest.
When my children were young, they loved carving the traditional jack-o’-lantern face with triangle eyes, nose, and a scary mouth, but as they’ve gotten older and more skilled, their creativity has blossomed. It’s always fun to see what kids come up with when you hand them a pumpkin and a carving tool.
Carving jack-o’-lanterns is a tradition that originated hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Originally, jack-o’-lanterns were made of turnips or potatoes, but when Irish immigrants moved to America, they realized pumpkins worked even better. The tradition has continued through the centuries and remains a fun holiday pastime for folks of all ages.
Even though I know as soon as we cut that pumpkin open, its lifespan diminishes significantly, we still dig in every year to create our jack-o’-lanterns, placing tea lights in each and adorning our drive-way with spooky orange heads.
Let’s get lost
As someone who is directionally challenged, corn mazes can be a little daunting for me, but nonetheless, every year I find myself amidst the stalks using a map or scavenger hunt to find our way out. Kids love corn mazes.
The origins of corn mazes dates back over 4,000 years ago to Greek and Roman labyrinths. Today’s intricate and detailed corn maze designs remain similar to their ancient counterparts. Through the millennia, they haven’t lost their mystique. Corn mazes continue to intrigue visitors year after year.
Not only are corn mazes a fun Halloween pastime, they also generate income for farms. Creating an elaborate corn maze is no easy feat, which is why you’ll often see the same farms offering this event annually. Once they learn how to grow the correct type and texture of corn and crop out the maze, it becomes a yearly ritual. Many farm owners foster excitement by keeping the design a secret and building up the reveal on social media or other outlets.
The boys and I have experienced a few corn mazes in our area, but I would love to explore more. Some mazes go the haunted route by dressing up actors and planting frightful decorations along the rows.
After meandering through the maze, attendees enjoy festivities such as hayrides, jumping pillows, food trucks, live music, and corncob cannons. Owners of the property aim to offer a fun experience for all members of the family.
A Smoky Mountain Autumn
If you’re visiting the Smoky Mountain region during the fall season, you’ll find a plethora of apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes, along with many entertaining festivals and events. Fully embrace the season by experiencing harvest-inspired fun. The kids in your life will be happy—and so will you.