Pick A Pumpkin Patch -- A Visit To Farm Fields Offers Acres Of Fall Fun

October is pumpkin month. You'll find vast mounds of orange orbs at local stores, but out in the countryside there are many pumpkin patches and other fall harvests waiting to be discovered.

Driving through farming communities is a beautiful way to spend a fall day. There are more and more farms that cater to visitors with tours and activities outside, and also in barns and other covered areas.

Most of the places listed here have U-pick pumpkin patches, but as it gets further into fall and the fields get muddier and trampled, you'll find more gathered into big piles.

Some of the farms, such as Remlinger Farms in Carnation, Biringer Farm in Marysville and Craven Farm in Snohomish, have become family entertainment centers with Halloween festivities including delightful puppet shows, wagon rides, mazes to maneuver, petting zoos, food and lots of crafts for sale. Admissions cost $3 to $7.50 a person, plus there may be charges for some activities, pumpkins and food.

Other places, including Fall City Farm, Farmer Dan's in Issaquah and Terry's Berries in Tacoma, have less to do with witches, goblins and Halloween fare.

"Our focus is the farm and the harvest," says Debbie Arenth at Fall City Farm. "We show families and kids what farmers do, how we do our work. We take them around, visit the animals and barns, talk about seeds and growing cycles, press apple cider together and then go on a hayride out to the pumpkin field. They come for a pumpkin, we share a little education. It's a lot of fun."

Most of the farms offer private tours by reservation this month. Though the tours are mostly geared to younger school kids, other ages will also enjoy them.

Special today is the Worldwide Giant Pumpkin Championship Weigh-Off, 9-11 a.m. at Remlinger Farms. Around the country, there are 21 weigh-offs. Locally, Remlinger's expects area growers to bring about 40 giants, most topping 500 pounds and some perhaps as big as 900 pounds. The local winner will be announced at noon, a national winner (determined by conference call) at 2:30 p.m.

The 10 biggest pumpkins will be on display at the farm this month, others may be sold or used as cattle feed.

Area farms

Here is a list of area pumpkin farms. Depending on the farm and activities, kids usually get a small pumpkin with their tour. U-pick pumpkins and pumpkins from farm stands go for 10 to 20 cents a pound, or sometimes $1 to $5 a pumpkin. Unless noted otherwise, these places are open today through Oct. 31.

-- Biringer Farm off Highway 529 between Everett and Marysville, 425-259-0255. Pumpkin Mania, 1-4:30 p.m. weekdays (groups by reservation), 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekends; $3 person (under age 2 free). Search for the Elusive Pumpkin Eater, visit the Slightly Scary Boo Barn, climb Straw Mountain, ride the Creepy Crawly Trolley. Weekend extras ($1-$4 each) include story barn, face-painting, pony and train rides, tractor pedal and scarecrow making.

-- Craven Farm, 13817 Short School Road, Snohomish, 360-568-2601. Pumpkin Patch open 9:30 a.m.-dusk weekdays (groups by reservation), 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekends; kids $3.75, adults free. Harvest Bazaar this weekend and next. . Meet Good Witch and Farmer Mark, visit animals and pumpkin patch. Fall produce, gifts, antiques and snack bar.

-- Fall City Farm, 3636 Neal Road, Fall City, 425-222-7930. Open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free to visit, tours by reservation ($3.50-$4.50.) Tour the farm, meet the animals and press cider. U-pick and picked pumpkins, fall produce and harvest goods.

-- Farmer Dan's, 26634 S.E. 196th, Hobart, 425-432-1705. Open weekdays 2-5 p.m. (groups by reservation, $5 includes pumpkin), 10 a.m.-dusk weekends ($3, pumpkins extra). Farm animals, more than 100 scarecrows, snack bar and produce stand. Hay rides ($1) and pony rides ($3) on weekends.

-- Family Trees Gardens'/ Peter's Pumpkin Patch, 23724 Dockton Road S.W., Vashon Island, 206-463-3256. Open daily, dawn to dusk, free to visit. Pumpkins, apples, broccoli, corn, cabbage and other fall produce, on the honor system. U-pick, you-weigh, you-pay.

-- Gordon Pumpkins, 1360 McLean Road, Mount Vernon, 360-424-7262. Open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m., free to visit (groups by reservation). Working farm with animals, u-pick pumpkin fields, squash, gourds, corn and apples. Also, produce stand and an antique tractor display that's great for photos.

-- Hands-On Pumpkin Farm, 15308 52nd Ave. W., North Lynnwood, 425-743-3694. Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends ($2, pumpkins $1 and up.) Groups by reservation, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays ($3.50 per child). Tour the barn, feed the animals, including a mama pig with new piglets, and choose pumpkins.

-- The Herbfarm, 32804 Issaquah-Fall City Road, Fall City, 206-784-2222. Halloween Country open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. weekends only, Oct. 11-26 ($5 person). Due to construction, no weekday tours this year. Weekend stories in the Old Grey Barn, an Enchanted Scarecrow Row, llamas, chickens, goats and a pumpkin patch to visit. Pony rides, pumpkin-carving, face-painting, snacks and scarecrow workshops cost extra (75 CENTS-$7.50). Herb Shop and Herbal Theme Gardens are open daily.

-- Lord Hill Farms, 12525 Old Snohomish-Monroe Road, Snohomish, 360-568-1780. Pumpkinville open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends only starting Oct. 11 ($3 person). Hay maze, moon walk, scary house and fields. U-pick pumpkins extra charge.

-- Lynnwood Nursery, 19325 Filbert Road, Lynnwood, 425-776-6972. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Self-guided tour through nursery-rhyme displays and stop at pumpkin patch to choose pumpkin ($2.50). Narrated hayrides plus tour by reservation or hourly on weekends ($3.50).

-- Remlinger Farms, 32610 N.E. 32nd St., Carnation, 425-451-8740. Open weekdays for tours by reservation, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ($5 includes pumpkin). Hay and cornstalk mazes, Hay Jump, Pioneer Village, puppet show and petting farm. Pumpkin Fantasyland has giant pumpkins that top 500 pounds. Open weekends (and Oct. 10), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ($7.50 kids, $6.50 adults). Harvest Festival, pony and steam-train rides, other activities.

-- Scandia Valley Farm, 16624 Scandia Road N.W., Poulsbo, 360-779-3353. Open 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, closed Sundays. Farm tours by reservation weekdays, and every half-hour weekends ($2.50 includes pumpkin). Farmer Jensen and pumpkin-headed Scarecrow tell stories in Pumpkin Theater. Farm animals and other activities. Farm Boutique sells produce and crafts.

-- Serres Farm, 20306 N.E. 50th St., Redmond, 425-868-3017. Open 2-5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends; 3.5 acres of u-pick pumpkin fields.

-- Terry's Berries, 4520 River Road, Tacoma, 253-922-1604.. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends for Fall Apple Harvest and Cider Pressing plus pumpkins in the field and wagon rides (free to visit). Farmstand also open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays.