Sunday, October 20, 2013

Pumpkin Picking at Anderson Farms in Erie, Colorado




My family decided to take advantage of a beautiful Saturday to take a drive to Erie, Colorado, and visit Anderson Farms to go on our annual pumpkin picking adventure. Anderson Farms is home to the longest-running pumpkin patch and corn maze in the state of Colorado!  The farm is large and full of wonderful activities for families, most of which are included for one admission price. It is wonderfully scenic and very popular this time of the year.  My son and daughter-in-law have been coming here since they moved to Colorado ten years ago. (All photos and photos in this post will enlarge for easier viewing by clicking on them once, and then again to see them full size)


Just look at the beautiful Rocky Mountain views we had on our drive up to the farm! Now that the mountain tops are snow-capped they really stand out against the blue sky.


The Anderson Farms corn maze is thirty acres large with over nine miles of trails. Every year the corn maze design changes, and this year the design is the Statue of Liberty's face and arm holding the torch. To see last year's designs click here.  Since we had very young children with us we did not stay in the corn maze very long--certainly not the two hours that the average visitor spends trying to find their way around the different paths.


There is a free hayride, pulled by an antique Oliver tractor, out to the 30 acres pumpkin patch! There are over 26 varieties of pumpkins, squash, and gourds to pick. I loved the beautiful views of the distant mountains we could see in the distance, including the fourteen thousand (plus) foot high Longs Peak!


Some family photos of all the fun we had! Our children and three grandchildren enjoyed all the activities, as well as my husband and I.


The farm pumpkin carver was hard at work and I found his designs amazing!


For those who enjoy the scary side of Halloween, Anderson Farms has a nighttime attraction called "Terror in the Corn," which is a "haunted hayride and ghost town" and nighttime "Zombie Paintball Hunt."


I could not get enough of the scenery! Here is a close up of Longs Peak...


...and a view of Mummy Range

Hmmmm..what a perfect name for a mountain range this time of the year!


Bookmark and Share

61 comments:

Helen said...

I had quite a time at Red Rocks last weekend ... And fell head over heels with Denver! I will return for visits with my son as often as the budget allows!

ellen b. said...

Lovely! I'm waiting for a sunny day to hit the pumpkin patch around here! Love all the great sunshiny shots you got...

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

How beautiful...everything is so wide open and majestic! And what a fun day to go to the pumpkin patch. Enjoy your week my friend!

Gayle said...

Looks like the perfect family day, and the views are awesome. Great photos.

The Gathering Place said...

Pat,
What a fun place to go for pumpkin picking and all the other fall events. I love your mosaics and the mountains looked stunning. Fun!

Thoughts on Life and Millinery. said...

Seeing you holding your sweet grand baby was the best shot of all! What fun... And aren't you glad you live there now and this can experienced with your grands every year?

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos! Looks like a very fun time.

Kris said...

Gorgeous photos as always! And I missed the previous post too, about your trips! You were right near me. I am only about 35 minutes from Temecula. Aren't those wineries beautiful?
XO Kris

Ola said...

the scenery is really beatiful!
and it sounds like you all had a lot of fun!

Shane Pollard said...

Hello Pat
Oh those wonderful mountains - and the pumpkins in the field look lovely.
Beautiful mosaics.
Visiting from Mary's Mosaic Monday
hugs
Shane

Old Kitty said...

Awwww Pat!! I love the collage of all your family together!! Your grandkids are gorgeous!! How wonderful!!

The pumpkin faces are a work of art!!

And so is the gorgeous scenery!! Take care
x

Lynn said...

Such a fun day and the weather looks perfect Pat! I love family farms like that and the pumpkin carver is amazing! Have a great week:@)

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

I can't get enough of the scenery there either Pat. What a gorgeous day to go to the pumpkin patch with your family. The pumpkin carver is just amazing.
Sam

diane b said...

The mountains are so beautiful. They remind me of Switzerland. But not the pumpkins. It looks like it would be a fun place for kids.

Pamela Gordon said...

I loved this post with all the gorgeous fall colour and the beautiful snow covered mountains! What a fun time to have with your children and grandchildren and in such spectacular scenery! Blessings, Pamela

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Great shots Pat, and what a wonderful time you're having there with your children and grandchildren. That's what it's all about. Love and hugs to you and Vinny.

SmilingSally said...

You are so correct, Pat! The views are awesome. I love them too.

Thanks for sharing these stunning views of Anderson Farm. Wouldn't I love to go there?

Happy Blue Monday!

podso said...

How wonderful to have those views out your back door (almost). I don't think you would ever get "used" to them...they would always be a marvel. What a busy pumpkin farm! I've never seen pumpkins carved that way. and I've always wondered if I'd have a panic attack inside a corn maze! An average of two hours? One would definitely need a hat and sunscreen! Hope your trips went well! Did you feel like you were coming "home?"

Anonymous said...

What an array of beautiful and fun photos for fall and HBM ~ thanks, carol ^_^

Miss Jean said...

The hubs and I will have to try to get up there before the season ends. With the addition of Mollie, that may be difficult.

Is it the daughter that lives here that has a friend that raises Scotties? They are the best!

Ann said...

Stunning photos of the mountains. I love the pumpkin carving, the lion is remarkable. Looks like a day full of fun. We are going to our Son's in Buena Vista CO for Thanksgiving--hopefully the passes will be clear!!
Ann

Ann said...

Stunning photos of the mountains. I love the pumpkin carving, the lion is remarkable. Looks like a day full of fun. We are going to our Son's in Buena Vista CO for Thanksgiving--hopefully the passes will be clear!!
Ann

Unknown said...

Such fun pics of the pumpkin carving! Wow, there's already lots of snow on the mountains! Have been in Colorado several times and after California it's the most beautiful stat I would like to live!

Vee said...

Some kind of gorgeous! I had to snag one for my autumn folder. Sounds like a perfect family day!

Lorrie said...

Such a fun day with the family under gorgeous skies. The mountain backdrop is stunning!

LV said...

One of the most beautiful states ever. Love it there anytime of the year. That pumpkin place would be a fun for the entire family.

Judy said...

So beautiful! And what a fun place for the kids...and the big kids too!

Little Wandering Wren said...

Wow - those snowy mountains are incredible. We just don't have anything like the pumpkin farm adventures you have over there. I think we have two types of pumpkin that we can buy!
Looks a really special, fun , family day out.
Wrenx

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

It looks like fun in a number of different ways from the maze to the tractor ride. I love corn mazes and pumpkins. The "new" way of carving pumpkins is wonderful. I couldn't get enough of the mountain background to the farm. How gorgeous.

Barb said...

Pat, What a fabulous autumn day in CO. I think I'd rather go to the farm in the daylight like you did! I wouldn't want to get lost in the maze at night...

Sylvia K said...

What fantastic captures for the day! And such a beautiful autumn day indeed! Thank you so much for sharing the fun and the beauty! I love it!!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Stunning pictures of Colorado's beautiful mountain peaks and amazing blue skies. I love it there! And the pumpkin patch (not nearly a grand enough name for it) is wonderful; that's a fabulous mosaic...and what fun for the kids. (I'd stick to the daytime activities myself!)

Arija said...

Just gorgeous, all of it, the mountains, the pumpkins, the carvings and the farm. What a lovely day out!

Anonymous said...

What a magnificent setting and lovely autumn colours.

genie said...

Love the Halloween spirit that fills your post. What a great pumpkin scarecrow and impressive carvings. Such wonderful, full filled mosaics. genie

LOLfromPasa said...

Those scenes with all that snow is stunning. Can hardly believe that is that time of year already. Lovely shots.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Pat, you have the cutest little pumpkins in the whole patch. xoxox

GailO said...

When you are from the east coast those mountains in the background look so surreal! Gorgeous photos Pat!

bj said...

O, what a fun day this must have been..and I think the night time would be fun, too. :)

Thanks so much for coming by and following...I follow you right back.

Beverly said...

I would never get enough of that breathtaking view either, Pat.

And, it looks like you all had so much fun making family memories.

Pumpkin carving fascinates me.♥

Laura said...

Looks like you had a wonderful day, brings back those times when my kids were little. Beautiful photos!

Susan Anderson said...

What a delightful day. And the scenery is spectacular!

=)

Al said...

Great post and photos. Now I want to take my grandkids to a pumpkin farm and corn maze (I've never been in one).

Joyful said...

Stunning mountain scenes. Love the pumpkin patch too!

Joyful said...

Stunning mountain scenes. Love the pumpkin patch too!

Jim said...

That carving freaks me out. ;)

Indrani said...

Amazing talent of carving the pumpkins. Great series. I enjoy seeing these scenes of autumn.

Sheila said...

Hello Pat. it looks like you had a wonderful day with your family and that you are enjoying all the sights that Colorado has to offer. Thanks for stopping by to say hello.

Anonymous said...

This is something I really envy about americans, this tradition about the pumpkins and all that follows....

Anonymous said...

Beautiful mountains and pumpkin carvings...

Lisa @ Grandmas Briefs said...

Wow! This is incredible. We took the grands to another farm south of us two years ago. It was nowhere near as scenic and cool as Anderson Farms. Will definitely add this to the next fall visit from our boys. Love the photos!

Cindy said...

Pumpkin farms are so much fun. We visited one every year while we lived near our youngest grands. How wonderful that you are near yours to enjoy all of these special family events.
I flew over those gorgeous mountains on the way to Denver airport on my flight to and from Washington. I spent four hours in the airport going and only 3.5 on the way back. Fun.
Your photos are wonderful, you're making such great memories with your grands.
Hugs, Cindy

Bonnie said...

Pat, you should enter some of your travel pics especially the one in this post of the pumpkin patch with the gorgeous mountain in the foreground on CNN's daily photo contest. I think it was CNN and it might be weekly. Crazy I read so many things I can't be sure of myself. Google photos contests. Your pics are wonderful.

Anonymous said...

This looks like a wonderful time!

Maria said...

We don't have this kind of event here in the Philippines. Thanks for sharing the photos and the experience.

Happy weekend!

La Petite Gallery said...

Best Pumpkin Post yet. yvonne

pinkkandy said...

Have a happy and blessed week...
Kandy

AnnMarie aka Vintage Junkie aka NaNa said...

Wow! Those mountains are gorgeous, almost look like an oil painting! No wonder there is a song with lyrics "Rocky Mountain high!" Visiting from Oh, The Places I've Been!

Mary @ The World Is A Book said...

Pumpkin Farms are so much fun during the Fall. This one sure has a lot to offer. But, wow that scenery is just breathtaking.

Pat said...

Your grandbabies are beautiful and growing! Love your stunning shots of the mountains. You are showing us the best of the West! Thank you, Pat.
Pat P.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

I don't think I've seen a more spectacular pumpkin patch. You go to the best places Pat.
Sam