Looking for a great place to celebrate Fall’s arrival with your children or grandchildren? Why not try Rader Family Farms in North Normal. Just go to www.raderfamilyfarms.com for a schedule of times and activities during October.
As soon as you drive up to the entrance, you will be delighted by the colorful farm figures welcoming you. Parking is free as is entry to the grounds themselves. Activity tickets vary in price. You may want to check the website before you go. General hours for every day are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Once inside, you will be greeted by pumpkins galore and wonderful mums in multiple colors. Great farm characters are hanging out along the way.
Food and Fun Options
Hungry? There are amazing food delights at practical prices including apple cinnamon donuts and pumpkin bread. Or, you can try their haystack or hog slop sandwiches…. fun to look at and to eat. A coffee bar in the main building serves wonderful brews with pumpkin and spice flavorings. And you may just find a floral or pumpkin arrangement in the gift shop you can’t live without.
Of course, the children will want to take advantage of the many activities whether riding the train, learning to lasso a cow, exploring the corn crib or watching the barnyard animals wander around. And everyone will want to wander the corn maze and try to find their own way out.
Good family fun right in our own community. Go. See. Explore.
Deanna Frautschi is a local Naturalist who is passionate about connecting families with nature. Using her knowledge of wildlife and her photography skills, she helps others enjoy the nature around them. If you have any questions about exploring nature with your children and grandchildren, you may contact Deanna at Decardinal@aol.com. Join the hundreds who follow her on Facebook where she posts photographs and short video clips of birds and other wildlife taken on her travels as well as in her yard. You can also join her "Nature Lady Lessons" and "Hummingbirds Anonymous" Facebook group pages.
Photos provided by Deanna Frautschi.
