The summer winds have barely died down and already the East End of Long Island is in full pumpkin mode! Local farms and farm stands are getting ready for the onslaught of pumpkin and apple pickers, cornstalk mazes and Halloween festivities. Please note that social distancing requirements are in effect in most places and openings are subject to weather. Our favorite places include:
Stakeys
270 West Lane, Aquebogue
www.stakeyspumpkinfarm.com
Open Daily
Located on West Lane in picturesque Aquebogue you’ll find Stakeys “Pick Your Own” pumpkin farm. Pick from 18 varieties of pumpkins right off the vine in their 26-acre field; there are also mums, cornstalks, flowering cabbage and kale and straw bales for all your fall holiday decorating needs. Admission to the Farm, Country Store and Snack Shack is free; paid attractions include a 3-acre corn maze ($10 per person) and hayrides ($8 per person).
Harbes Family Farms
Harbes Barnyard Adventure
715 Sound Ave., Mattituck
Harbes Orchard
5898 Sound Ave., Riverhead
Harbes Family Farm
Riverhead, Mattituck, and Jamesport
www.harbesfamilyfarm.com
Open Daily 10am-6pm
Harbes is busy cornering the market on all things pumpkin-y, apple-y and maze-y. With three locations across the North Fork, there’s fun for the whole family daily — and some evenings as well. The Barnyard Adventure is the paid admission area of Harbes Family Farm in Mattituck; daily admission or season passes are available. Learn about farm animals including sheep and lambs, chickens and chicks, ducks and ducklings, goats and pigs; visit the bee observatories; find your way through the Gnome Maze or the Canna Bulb Flower Field. Weekend offerings include pig races and singing hayride tours. Harbes Orchard offers daily apple picking; on Saturday nights in October, the orchard maze turns into a spooky night adventure with goblins and ghouls. Don’t forget to bring your flashlight. Harbes Family Farm in Jamesport features 9 acres of u-pick pumpkins. Pumpkin picking is by the pound and weekends only; apple picking is $8 per person and the corn maze is $9 per person. Pony rides charged separately. No pets permitted.
Helen’s Flower Farm
967 Union Avenue, Aquebogue
www.facebook.com/Helens-Flower-Farm
Open Daily 9am-5:30pm
Tucked away in a corner of Aquebogue just off Route 105, Helen’s Flower Farm is a small family farm geared towards families with small children. Activities include a bounce house and horse drawn wagon rides. Fresh fruit and veggies are available at the farmstand; peruse the acres of flowers in the greenhouses. Pick your own pumpkins in acres of Helen’s fields. And don’t forget to take home one of Helen’s famous pies.
Gabrielsen’s Country Farm
200 Herricks Lane, Jamesport
www.gabrielsenscountryfarm.com
Open Daily 8:30am-5:30pm
Admission is free for the whole family at the Fall Festival at Gabrielsen’s Country Farm! Visit the pumpkin field, the restoration schoolhouse and the old-fashioned church. Rides on the choo choo train are reasonably priced at $3. Enjoy live music every weekend while partaking of Gabrielsen’s famous roasted corn and fresh lemonade. Fall plants, produce and decorations are available at the farmstand and the numerous greenhouses daily.
The Pumpkin Patch at Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm
20685 Main Road, Mattituck
www.shamrockchristmastreefarm.com
Weekends 9am-5pm
Renowned for their Christmas festivities, Shamrock Christmas Tree Farm is getting in on the pumpkin action this year. Admission to the farm is free; pick pumpkins off the vine (pay by the pound), ride the tree train ($5 per ride), and enjoy live music, food (including local fresh oysters), beverages, wine and hard cider. For the past 5 years, Shamrock has been cultivating a twist on the maze: a maze mapped completely from evergreen trees. While still not complete (it will take a few more years for the trees to reach full height), the maze is reportedly the largest tree maze in the US. For no additional cost, you can wander through the maze paths at your leisure without getting lost!
Fink’s Family Farm
6242 Middle Country Road, Wading River
www.finksfarm.com
Weekdays 10am-4pm;
Weekends 9:30am-5pm
Perennial fall family favorite in Wading River is Fink’s Farm. Visit the Fall Barnyard during the weekdays for $5 admission (under 2 is free), or wander the u-pick pumpkin fields. The Fall Festival happens weekends through Halloween; admission is $18 per person and includes unlimited hayrides and trips through the corn maze, access to barnyard animals (animal feed sold separately), character appearances, jumbo slide, jump pillow and play areas. Outside food is permitted; food vendors are available weekends only, including Fink’s Famous Roasted Corn. Also available at additional charge: the corn cannon, pumpkin slingshot, kiddie train and pony rides. Wander through acres of u-pick pumpkins on the vine (pay by the pound); fresh farm-grown produce and baked goods available at the farmstand.
Windy Acres Farm
3810 Middle Country Road, Calverton
www.facebook.com/Windy-Acres-Farm
Daily 9am-6pm (u-pick closes at 4:30pm)
Featuring a huge playground featuring a castle, an ark and a life size chess board, Windy Acres Farm is a fifth-generation u-pick farm perfect for families and large groups. Fall pickings include pumpkins, multiple apple varieties, squash, tomatoes and other fall produce. Admission to any u-pick activities also includes access to the playground and tractor rides to the picking fields; there is an upcharge for admission to the corn maze. See horses, chickens and goats in the barns; there’s also a peacock wandering the grounds! Sit at any of the numerous picnic tables around the spacious playground to enjoy snack foods, roasted corn, cider donuts and homemade soft serve ice cream available for purchase at the farmstand. Choose from local fall produce — including pumpkins, ornamental gourds and squash — cut flowers and flowering fall plants at the farmstand.
