Celebrating all things fall at Lake Metroparks Farmpark

By Mimi Vanderhaven

Darling, 2020 has been an appalling year of cancelled-this and postponed-that due to the “C” word. Mimi’s social calendar has been as parched and barren as the Sahara.

Imagine the thrill when Mimi’s dear, dear friend, Andy McGovern, Lake Metroparks Farmpark events manager, announced that the Fall Harvest Weekends are a green light.

“Families find it fascinating to discover where their food comes from,” says Andy. “This year, we’ve expanded to cover the whole Farmpark, spacing out 100 picnic tables and even revamping our three-acre Corn Maze as a double-wide path to allow for social distancing.”

They’ve beefed up the annual weekends with entertainment and added Fridays, too.

Each weekend has a different focus on an aspect of farming and harvest, along with regularly scheduled demonstrations. (And, P.S., you simply have not lived until you’ve tasted the Farmpark’s divine Apple Slushy.)

• September 25–27: Apple Butter & Cider Weekend, where you can learn how to prepare apples, make cider and apple butter, and take a tour on the Johnny Apple Seed Trail.
• October 2–4: Horsepower Weekend. See how horses are used for farming and discover how tractors improved farming over the years
• October 9–11 and 16–18: Celebrate all things corn and pumpkins. Help husk, shell and grind corn, paint a pumpkin, and enjoy harvest food preparation demos.

Here’s the down-low on masking: You do not need to wear one if you are able to maintain a six-foot social distance from others who aren’t household members. However, visitors ages 10 and older are required to wear masks indoors. This applies to any indoor space at Farmpark, including as guests passing through the Visitor Center upon entering and while utilizing any of the shared public restrooms throughout Farmpark.

Lake Metroparks Farmpark is located at 8800 Euclid Chardon Road in Kirtland. For more information, visit Lakemetroparks.com/events. The maze is open Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., through October 18, weather and conditions permitting. The maze and harvest activities are included with Farmpark admission ($8, with discounts for seniors and children ages 2 to 11); members enter free.