Searching for the Great Pumpkin? Follow us to Schnepf Farms!

A weekend at the Railroad Park is a tough act to follow. Knowing this, Brandi and I reached into the bag of parental tricks and headed to the Southeast Valley yesterday. Queen Creek, to be precise. We knew we'd have to dig into our jeans for a bit more cash for this week's excursion, but what can you say to plaintive pairs of baby blue and brown eyes? If you are like us, you say, "Wanna go see the animals?"

This was our second trip to Schnepf Farms in as many years. While we enjoyed our initial foray last year, we didn't make it down during the Christmas Festival hours. It was nice to beat the throng and enjoy having the grounds almost entirely to ourselves (cheaper, too), but this year's adventure far exceeded the previous one.

From the moment we pulled into the overflowing parking lot, we knew this was going to be a far different experience. Ponying up $14 a piece for Brandi, Jack and I (children under 2 are free), we were anxious to see what manner of entertainment would be provided to justify the expense. Not fifty yards from the front gate, a traveling performer was wowing the crowd with assorted juggling skills and a talented canine assistant. We stayed and watched until he started lighting stuff on fire to juggle. If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you will understand why I draw the line with juggling and fire when Jack is in attendance. Such a demonstration would assuredly force me to up my homeowner's policy and keep Wyatt in fire retardant clothing at all times.

Next stop was the playground with all manner of slides, trikes, sand toys, train replicas and more. With a perfect vantage point for catching the train which circles the farm's perimeter, we weren't allowed to leave this venue for quite some time. When finally the little dictators allowed themselves to be manhandled to another attraction, we cruised the peacock enclosure before grabbing some barbeque. The food was excellent, if a little pricey, with bench seating in view of a local country/western band.

Time for the petting zoo and the rides.

Piglets, goats, lambs ... what more can a young parent ask for when looking on in horror as your little ones jam their fingers into their mouths and ears after a little wild kingdom interaction? I think Brandi is still washing their hands.

There were ample rides from which to choose, but the boys were limited to a single flight on the "Bee Ride." Climbing aboard the individual "bee" cars, it was the kind of deal where you simply go around in a circle, but with the ability to control your elevation by pulling or pushing a handlebar. Wyatt had a huge smile on his face as I rode with him, and Jack appeared to as well as I snapped a couple of pictures of he and Brandi in the trailing car.

The boys WERE NOT allowed on the flying swings and roller coaster.

As we did last year, we traversed the corn maze, with the boys ignoring all posted rules about staying on the path. Matter of fact, Jack managed to find a few unclaimed ears of corn deep within the bowels of uncharted maize. Lord knows the farm will want all of it for the ethanol subsidies which keep corn planted in just about every open field anymore.

Finally, we weaved our way to the pumpkin patch. This was auspiciously why we had come. While still no substitute for the now defunct Young's Farm just south of Prescott Valley, it is nice to have a passable replacement for a family tradition. Once you pick that perfect pumpkin from a patch, you'll never want to buy one from Albertson's again. The boys made their picks, and we made our way back to the car. Amidst an unseasonable string of 90 degree days, it didn't come a moment too soon for our pink cheeks.

We had a wonderful time, and highly recommend bringing the family down to Schnepf Farms as part of your Autumn ritual. Click here for park hours, directions, events and more.