Mortimer Farms Pumpkin Festival
Along with the (slightly) cooler temperatures comes everything pumpkin! The scent of cinnamon, clove, and pumpkin begins to fill the air at the very first hint of a crisp morning. We've got the PSL (that's Starbucks lingo for pumpkin spice latte), pumpkin pie air fresheners, pumpkin spice candles, etc. The other thing that seems to hit every other street corner are "pumpkin patches." I put these two words in quotes because you can't just claim a vacant lot in the middle of the city, plop down some hay bales and pumpkins, and call it a pumpkin patch. There are only a few legit patches in the greater Phoenix area. While I love these farms, what I love even more is the act of picking my pumpkin under the veil of semi-fall-like temperatures. This is precisely what we did Sunday the 11th. The hubby and I packed up both kiddos and headed North with some friends to Mortimer Family Farms. They turn their fully functioning farm into a pumpkin festival each and every year and people come by the hundreds (or maybe by the thousands, who knows).
The place we now know as Mortimer Farm actually has quite a long history. Long story short, the Young's were forced out of their land due to the state reducing the amount of water they could pump. After changes in State water funding, the Young's sold the land to a Phoenix developer in 2006, where it sat vacant for 5 years. In 2011, the farm was leased by the Mortimer family, who owned a landscape company and nursery in Prescott and a ranch 10 miles East, in Dewey. The Mortimer's restored the farm to working condition and reopened with a very similar look and feel as Young's. They still grow fresh pumpkins, sweet corn, and vegetables, but they have added a plant nursery and fishing pond.
When my family, friends, and I arrived Sunday morning, the parking lot was already pretty full! The farm opens at 9am almost daily, but plan to arrive right around then as it gets pretty packed. There are two entrances; we went through the first one came to off of HWY 69. Admission is $15 per person over 3yrs but that includes the corn maze, inflatable playground, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo, rock wall, etc. The price also includes one pumpkin per person, 8lbs or less. For pumpkins over 8lbs, you pay $.75 per additional pound. After perusing through the pumpkin patch, you can make your way to the General Store, where you will find farm fresh foods of all kinds. Corn, more pumpkins, fruit, vegetables, meats, you name it! They also sell pastries, apple cider, sandwiches, and much more. The smell in the store is delectable, to say the least.
After picking our pumpkins, riding the ponies, jumping through the inflatable playground, getting lost in the corn maze, eating our fill of fudge and cookies, and drinking apple cider it was time to make our way back to the Valley. We spent an awesome 5 hours at the farm and cannot wait to go back! In fact, I am thinking of ordering a Thanksgiving turkey from them!
The place we now know as Mortimer Farm actually has quite a long history. Long story short, the Young's were forced out of their land due to the state reducing the amount of water they could pump. After changes in State water funding, the Young's sold the land to a Phoenix developer in 2006, where it sat vacant for 5 years. In 2011, the farm was leased by the Mortimer family, who owned a landscape company and nursery in Prescott and a ranch 10 miles East, in Dewey. The Mortimer's restored the farm to working condition and reopened with a very similar look and feel as Young's. They still grow fresh pumpkins, sweet corn, and vegetables, but they have added a plant nursery and fishing pond.
When my family, friends, and I arrived Sunday morning, the parking lot was already pretty full! The farm opens at 9am almost daily, but plan to arrive right around then as it gets pretty packed. There are two entrances; we went through the first one came to off of HWY 69. Admission is $15 per person over 3yrs but that includes the corn maze, inflatable playground, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo, rock wall, etc. The price also includes one pumpkin per person, 8lbs or less. For pumpkins over 8lbs, you pay $.75 per additional pound. After perusing through the pumpkin patch, you can make your way to the General Store, where you will find farm fresh foods of all kinds. Corn, more pumpkins, fruit, vegetables, meats, you name it! They also sell pastries, apple cider, sandwiches, and much more. The smell in the store is delectable, to say the least.
After picking our pumpkins, riding the ponies, jumping through the inflatable playground, getting lost in the corn maze, eating our fill of fudge and cookies, and drinking apple cider it was time to make our way back to the Valley. We spent an awesome 5 hours at the farm and cannot wait to go back! In fact, I am thinking of ordering a Thanksgiving turkey from them!
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