Seacoast farms fall fun: 2024 guide to pumpkin picking, corn mazes, haunted fun and more
From apple and pumpkin picking to navigating corn mazes in the dark, there are plenty of fun activities and festive events at farms around Seacoast New Hampshire and southern York County, Maine, this fall.
At Applecrest Farm Orchards in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire’s oldest and largest apple orchard, you can choose from over 40 varieties of apples. After picking your favorites, enjoy a hayride through the orchard, sample award-winning pies and ciders, and shop for local products at their farm market.
For a challenging adventure, head to Coppal House Farm in Lee. Navigate their homegrown corn mazes, which feature a new theme each year, either during the day or at night. The farm also hosts events like the Artisan Craft Fair, where you can shop for local arts and crafts.
If you’re looking for a Halloween thrill, visit Haunted Overload at DeMeritt Hill Farm. This haunted trail offers a one-of-a-kind experience with “twisted creatures waiting around every turn in the most frightening patch of forest in New England.”
Here’s a look at what local farms in New Hampshire and southern Maine are offering this fall:
Seacoast New Hampshire
Applecrest – Hampton Falls
Address: 133 Exeter Road
Website: applecrest.com
Contact: (603) 926-3721
Hours: Farm Market open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Corn maze and sunflower trail hours daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until a killing frost. Harvest Festival every weekend, noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, September through October.
Co-owner Todd Wagner said this year marks the 50th year Applecrest is inviting the public to celebrate its Harvest Festival. The farm offers 100 acres of fruit orchards with 20,000 apple trees that include 45 different varieties.
The Farm Market offers strawberries, blueberries, tree-ripened peaches, nectarines and summer vegetables. Visitors can also find the farm’s hand-pressed apple ciders, local honey, jams and maple syrup at the market.
Wagner emphasized that fall is “100% the time to be at Applecrest.” He particularly enjoys seeing familiar faces that have been visiting the farm for decades.
“I always like meeting those families – and I recognize a lot of them – it’s really nice when they reach out to me and say, ‘Thanks for having us’ or ‘This is awesome,’” he said. “That makes it really rewarding and it makes it all worth it.”
From corn mazes and pick-your-own apples and peaches to live music and lawn games, Applecrest’s Harvest Festival offers something for everyone. You can find weekend schedules of activities, performers, and menus on the farm’s website.
Before you leave, be sure to visit The Applecrest Creamery for a scoop of their homemade ice cream, a slice of pie, or a fresh fruit smoothie. Don’t miss their famous made-from-scratch cider donuts, crafted daily for that quintessential fall-on-the-farm experience.
Farm at Eastman’s Corner – Kensington
Address: 267 South Road
Website: eastmanscorner.com
Contact: (603) 347-1909
Hours: Open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This fall season, the farm celebrates its 11th anniversary with free live music performances. Visitors can enjoy retro-rock tunes from The Gemstones, funky and upbeat blends from Red Tail Hawk, and an authentic reggae experience with Redemption on the farm’s deck.
There are plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy every day. The Farm Market offers a variety of delicious grab-and-go meals, soups, and salads, all made from scratch using locally harvested honey, maple syrup, and the farm’s own produce.
The farm’s animal barn, built by Seacoast School of Technology students, is home to friendly Nigerian dwarf goats and two Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, LuLu and Penny. The barn’s mural, painted in 2016 by students from Kensington Elementary School, adds a charming touch.
Don’t forget to visit Cluckingham Palace, where New Hampshire Reds provide the eggs sold at the farm stand.
The Stay and Play Gazebo is perfect for a picnic lunch, offering a view of the farm’s artwork, including an impressive scrap-metal plow horse on the front lawn. The farm’s playground and playhouse are also available for families to enjoy during their visit.
Vernon Family Farm – Newfields
Address: 301 Piscassic Road
Website: vernonfamilyfarm.com
Contact: (603) 340-4321
Hours: Open daily, year-round, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Located on 33 acres of conserved land in Newfields along the Piscassic River, Vernon Family Farm offers non-GMO, organic, local meats, chicken, seafood, prepared foods, and produce from over 30 local farmers and producers.
Nicole Vernon, one of the owners, believes fall is the best time to visit the farm when local flavors are at their peak.
“Local flavors are bursting right now,” she said. “We have delicious peaches, fresh corn, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, melons, and apples… It’s just the blending of so many wonderful tastes and flavors and of course, add Vernon chicken to it, you got a really wonderful list of groceries.”
Starting Sept. 6 and continuing through October, Vernon Family Farm will host live performances by local bands, including bluegrass band Cousin Bobby on Sept. 28 and a fire-spinning show by expert Courtney Drahms on Oct. 19. Each event features food and drinks catered by Vernon Kitchen, using their locally-grown ingredients. A list of events and times is available on the farm’s website.
“Our events are opportunities for people to engage with their local farmers, to step onto the farm, and to know where their food comes from,” added Vernon. “The heart of these community events is the food we grow here on our pastures, served to the people attending these activities.”
Emery Farm – Durham
Address: 147 Piscataqua Road
Website: emeryfarm.com
Contact: (603) 742-8495
Hours: Market and Garden Center currently open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cafe currently open daily 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving apple cider donuts, sandwiches, smoothies and ice creams.
Having been run by the same family since 1660, Emery Farm holds the title of the oldest family farm in the country.
Whether you’re seeking adventure or simply want to relax, Emery Farm has something for everyone. Visit the friendly farm animals at the petting barn, take a scenic wagon ride around the farm, or enjoy a rustic adventure through the woods.
Wagon rides are available starting Sept. 28 and run through October on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Each ride lasts about 20 minutes, with the last ride departing at 4 p.m. Rides are weather permitting. Admission is $6 per person, and no reservations are required.
The market, featuring over 95% New England products, offers farm-fresh produce and fruit, along with cut flowers, herbs, pumpkins, and wreaths at the garden center.
Coppal House Farm – Lee
Address: 118 North River Road
Website: nhcornmaze.com
Contact: (603) 659-3572
Hours: Farm stand open noon to 5 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Celebrating its “20 Years of Getting Lost,” Coppal House Farm, renowned for its labyrinth, recently unveiled its Moose Corn Maze.
Prepare to navigate the 5-acre moose-shaped labyrinth, surrounded by towering 8- to 9-foot stalks of corn.
As you journey through the maze, you’ll encounter signs with trivia questions related to the maze’s theme. Answer correctly, and you’ll be directed to the correct or shorter path. Answer incorrectly, and you’ll be sent on a longer or entirely wrong route.
For an added challenge, try the Flashlight Night Maze on Sept. 28, Oct. 12, and Oct. 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Remember to bring your flashlight, as none will be provided. Slots are limited.
Other activities include old-fashioned wagon rides from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on selected weekends, available on Saturdays and Sundays from Sept. 21 to Oct. 27.
Daytime admission can be purchased at the farm stand, while night maze tickets are pre-sold.
After navigating the Moose Corn Maze or enjoying a wagon ride, treat yourself to goodies at the farm stand, pick up a pumpkin or fall decorations, or grab some maple syrup.
DeMeritt Hill Farm – Lee
Address: 20 Orchard Way
Website: demeritthillfarm.com
Contact: (603) 868-2111
Hours: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
DeMeritt Hill Farm’s Haunted Overload offers a terrifying feast of ghosts, goblins, monsters, and creeps, along with things that may or may not be lurking under your bed at night. This annual haunt fest was ranked the No. 1 Scariest Haunted Attraction in America in 2015 by HauntWorld and voted No. 18 among the Top 20 Most Influential Haunted Attractions of all time.
The Haunted Overload opens on Oct. 10 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with “Fright Night Lite,” allowing you to experience all the sights and sounds of Haunted Overload without actors to scare you. All Haunted Overload events are ticketed time block events.
The real scares begin Oct. 11 and run through Nov. 3, with Day Haunt from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Main Event from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
On the final day, the Main Event, running from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., culminates with Haunted Overload’s Black Out Night, where you’ll navigate winding trails full of monsters with only your sense of sound and very dim lighting.
DeMeritt Hill Farm also features a store full of produce, treats, crafts, bakery goods, and pumpkins. Additional activities include hayrides along the trails on weekends from Sept. 7 through the end of October.
Butternut Farm Cider House – Farmington
Address: 195 Meaderboro Road
Website: butternutfarm.net
Contact: (603) 335-4705, PYO info online
Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.
At this 30-acre family-run farm, the selection of pick-your-own fruits is updated daily, with apples and peaches being the current stars this month. Pumpkins and decorative gourds are also available for picking.
“Local farms in New Hampshire are loaded up with apples for the pick-your-own season,” said owner Giff Burnap. “The crop is clean and abundant, and we’re ready.”
For apples, it’s the perfect time for Ginger Gold, Zestar, Premier Honey Crisp, and Sansa, with Macintosh and Cortland ready for picking in mid-September, though they are ripening early this season.
“You get a good Mac(intosh) right off the tree from a New England farm late September and it’s dynamite,” said Burnap.
Peaches are at their peak, offering varieties like Contender, Cold Hardy, Coralstar, Canadian Harmony, Messina, and Fantasia Nectarine.
Butternut Farm is more than just a place to pick fruit, enjoy apple cider donuts, and savor homemade apple pies. As the name suggests, the cider house makes fresh-pressed apple cider and brews several varieties of small-batch hard ciders.
After you’ve picked your fruits, sit down for a glass (or more) of hard cider tasting.
Southern Maine
Sandy Hill Farm – Eliot
Address: 34 Sandy Hill Lane
Website: sandyhillmaine.com
Contact: [email protected]
Hours: Farmstand is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until late fall. Light show available Sept. 15 to Oct. 29 and runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Winter Wonders available Nov. 17 to Dec. 31 and runs from 4:15 to 7:30 p.m.
From beets to blueberries, visitors can purchase fresh produce at the Farmstand until late fall.
Sandy Hill is really known for its events – specifically its light shows. However, the farm will not have a fall show this year as they gear up for a bigger and better Winter Wonders, the "largest and most creative holiday light show in New England," later this winter.
Using over two million lights, the event features one-of-a-kind and creative displays built by artisans at the farm. The farm’s unique 14-acre light display is the largest and most immersive walk-through light show display in New England.
If you’ve visited the show in prior years, worry not, as Sandy Hill will be adding “lots of new and exciting displays this year” for an experience that could not be duplicated. Winter Wonders will run Nov. 22 through March 2.
Spiller Farm – Wells
Address: 85 Spiller Farm Lane
Website: spillerfarm.com
Contact: (207) 985-3383
Hours: Open daily. Weekdays from 1 to 5 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until late October.
With a history dating back to 1894, the Spiller family farm spans over 110 acres, including 30 acres of row crops, four acres of strawberries, four acres of apples, an acre of raspberries, hay fields, and pastures.
Choose from a variety of fruits to pick, including apples, raspberries, pumpkins, and more. The farm also offers vegetables such as zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and peppers. On-site, there’s a store where you can buy pizza, sandwiches, beverages, and more. The farm also features a picnic and play area for visitors to enjoy.
Chase Farms – Wells
Address: 1488 North Berwick Road
Website: chasefarmswells.com
Contact: (207) 646-7888
Hours: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Family-owned and operated since the 1600s, Chase Farms specializes in homegrown meats and produce.
From beef, and pork to freshly baked goods, the farm offers a variety of locally sourced items and a greenhouse with abundant offerings that change with the season.
This season’s produce selection is as follows: corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, lettuce, beets, carrots, radishes, potatoes, strawberries, melon, eggplant, cabbage, peppers, scallions, spinach, Swiss chard, asparagus, summer squash and zucchini.
The Farm Stand offers items such as Stonewall Kitchen jams and Oakhurst milk, while the greenhouse offers multiple varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds, corn stalks, hay bales and mums.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seacoast farms in NH and southern Maine: Family fall fun 2024 guide