Fall Family Tradition: Neltner Farms

Neltner Farm Fall Festival

One of my favorite Fall family traditions is going to the pumpkin patch.  Every weekend in October my family trudges to a different farm, parks the family car amongst all the other city-slicker automobiles, and steps out in our favorite Fall fashions to enjoy the beautiful season, the smell of cider, the sounds of a horse-drawn hayride, and the sights of pumpkins everywhere the eye can see.  And perhaps no local farm does it better (nor certainly any closer to Fort Thomas) than Neltner Farms in Camp Springs, KY.

Last Saturday, my family and a few of the children’s friends went to Neltner Farms; we’ve gone every year for at least the last five years but every year the farm does something a little bit different, a little bit better.

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In addition to many of the Fall favorites such as a corn maze (or is it maize maze?), pony rides, apple cider, and a pumpkin patch, this year Neltner Farms added a wine-tasting tent that featured wines from both Camp Springs and Stonebrook Wineries.  Stonebrook (which happens to be my go-to favorite for all of you looking to buy me a gift) sells their Pumpkin Spice Wine, a white wine base with every sorority gal’s favorite spice added, exclusively at Neltner Farms.  Trust me, after consuming a bottle (safely from my home that evening), that alone is worth the trip.

Check out this tent for the wine tasting

But that alone is NOT all there is to do there.  For the children, Neltner Farms has a petting/feeding barn with goats, sheep, a horse, and ducks.  Additionally, they have both pony rides and a tractor pull ride for kids.  Face-painting, a Fall-themed train display, and the hardest corn maze I’ve ever been in round out the family fun.  And fair warning on the maze, we went last Saturday and I’m pretty sure my husband is still looking for the heart-shaped hole punch (the maze features five different items to find and then punch out of a punch-card and to those who collect all five, a free apple is given; I don’t think Neltner Farms has given an apple yet).

Train area

And last but certainly not least, Neltner Farms has a hay-ride taking riders back to the pumpkin patch where hundreds of high quality pumpkins of all sizes await their new forever-homes, and then returning to the main entrance of the farm.  It is a nice ride, the cost of which is included in the price of admission.

Legit lost in the maze

Speaking of admission, the cost is $5 per person (children under age three are free) and it includes the hay-ride, the corn maze, and the petting zoo area.  For a small fee, feed is given out for the animals.  The rides are $3 each.  As for food, there was a full lunch available for an additional cost and, of course, gallon jugs of Apple Cider ($8 per gallon, $5 for a half gallon).  And pumpkins were also for sale for $0.45 per pound ($2.50 each for pie pumpkins).

Rides are $3 each

Local mom, Christi Sarge, recently took her family and says of this fall tradition, “For us, it's not Fall until the annual trip to Neltner's Farm. It's the type of place where you feel happiness and warmth in slowing down to enjoy the day. Our little guy feeds the animals, runs through the corn maze, picks out 700 pumpkins and stops on the bridge to throw a pebble in the creek. You'll leave with fruit, vegetables and memories"

Ethan Sarge taking it all in.

Now for a few pro-tips:
1) Go to the corn maze first.  It will thoroughly wear your children out.  In all seriousness, it was quite difficult.  With little children, don’t mention the free apple and leave whenever you’d like or pretend you only need one stamp and just buy the darn apple.
2) Go to the pumpkin patch last or you’ll be lugging giant pumpkins around all day.
3) Walk to the pumpkin patch and avoid the lines for the hay ride (it is a very short walk) then take the hay-ride back from the patch.  There never seems to be a line to go back.
4) Get the Apple Cider… lots and lots of it.  If you think you have enough, count how many gallons you’re holding and triple it.
5) Do a wine-tasting at both represented wineries.  It costs $1 for five tasters which equates to about a full glass.  Buy lots of wine, prices were about the same as at the grocery store but it goes direct to the winemakers and supports them better.  Buy the Pumpkin Spice wine (same rules apply as for Apple Cider).
6) The scarecrow standing there is actually a real person which is an especially fun fact to find out after doing the wine tasting.
7) If you go during the week, admission is free (but all rides are not operating)!
8) Have fun, create lasting family memories, and support a local, family-owned, Fall tradition.

For more information, go to www.neltnersfarm.com or just visit them at 6922 4 Mile Rd, Melbourne KY (off Route 8, take a right onto 4 mile road just before the Dari Bar, follow 4-mile for a few miles).  Weekdays the farm is open 9am-6pm, 10am-6pm weekends.

** This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Neltner Farms. All opinions are my own.**