The Johnston Brief
Fall in central Iowa means loading up the car for a corn maze, a wagon ride, and a pumpkin the size of a beach ball. Here are the patches and orchards worth the short drive from Johnston, what each one is known for, and when to go so you are not stuck in the October crowds.
The closest fall farm to Johnston is Iowa Orchard in Urbandale, about 10 to 15 minutes south, known for its apple pies and a Family Fun Zone. For a full day, Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge is about 30 minutes north with a 25-acre pumpkin patch and a corn maze, and Howell's Pumpkin Patch and Wilson's Orchard & Farm in Cumming are about 30 to 35 minutes southwest. Peak season runs late September through October.
Iowa Orchard is the closest fall farm to Johnston, about 10 to 15 minutes south into neighboring Urbandale. It's the one to know for pies, with a bakery, a pumpkin patch, a strawberry patch, and a Family Fun Zone of corn boxes, a jumping pillow, and hay slides. It's the easy, quick trip when you don't want to make a whole day of it. 9875 Meredith Dr, Urbandale.
Center Grove Orchard (Cambridge, about 30 minutes north up I-35) is the big make-a-day-of-it farm, with a 25-acre pumpkin patch and a 20-acre apple orchard, plus a corn maze, jumping pillows, a sunflower meadow, goat feeding, and food stands known for cider donuts and farmhouse pies. It gets busy on October weekends. 32835 610th Ave, Cambridge.
Howell's Pumpkin Patch (Cumming, about 30 to 35 minutes southwest) is a metro classic: a pumpkin cannon, a corn maze, a cow slide, tractor rides, and a big greenhouse. 3145 Howell Court, Cumming.
Wilson's Orchard & Farm (Cumming) is a 125-acre farm for picking apples, pumpkins, and berries, with a Ciderhouse restaurant serving wood-fired pizza and cider donuts. 3201 15th Ave, Cumming.
Pumpkinville (Mitchellville, about 30 minutes east) is a smaller, free-admission patch that is easy on the wallet for a quick pumpkin run. Mitchellville.
Apples ripen from late August through October; pumpkins and the big activity season peak from late September through the end of October. Weekends in October are the busiest, so a weekday visit means shorter lines. Most of the larger farms charge admission for the activity areas (Howell's and Iowa Orchard among them) and often sell tickets cheaper online, while some, like Pumpkinville, are free to walk in. Hours and prices change every year, so check each farm's website before you drive. Dress for mud and bring cash for the food stands.
Yes, you do not always have to leave town: the Johnston farmers market stocks local pumpkins and gourds as the season turns, and grocery and hardware stores around Johnston set up pumpkin displays in October. For a full fall weekend, pair a patch with a walk on the local trails or a stop at Terra Park. And once the kids outgrow the patch, the metro's haunted houses are the teen version of fall.
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Iowa Orchard in Urbandale, about 10 to 15 minutes south of Johnston, is the closest fall farm, with a pumpkin patch, a strawberry patch, a Family Fun Zone, and a bakery known for its apple pies. Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge, about 30 minutes north, is the closest full-day patch and orchard.
Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge and Wilson's Orchard & Farm in Cumming both offer apple picking, and Iowa Orchard in Urbandale is known for its apple pies. Apples generally ripen from late August through October.
Pumpkin patches and their activity areas peak from late September through the end of October, with October weekends the busiest. Apples start a bit earlier, from late August. Visit on a weekday for shorter lines.
Yes. Pumpkinville in Mitchellville, about 30 minutes east of Johnston, has free admission. Larger farms like Howell's and Iowa Orchard charge for their activity areas but often sell tickets cheaper online.