photo courtesy Critz Farms
Fall is the time for apple orchards, pumpkin patches and corn mazes! In this guest post, local mom Lorrell Walker shares the perfect place for just such a fall family outing near her hometown.
One of our family traditions includes a trip to Critz Farms in Cazenovia, NY. My husband and I always made at least one fall trip to Critz before we became parents. Last year, our daughter was just under a year when the fall season arrived and we visited Critz Farms three times! We went in late September to take advantage of “you pick” apple season. Then, we went in early October to pick out some pumpkins. Finally, we visited one evening for the night time corn maze (a one night only offering during their “season”). Each experience was slightly different and every time was great. Our daughter was a little young for some of the children’s activities, but I can’t wait to take her this year – I know she’s going to love it!
The great thing about Critz Farms is that it gives kids (and parents!) a greater understanding of and appreciation for agriculture. The Critz family has learned how to mesh agriculture and tourism (New York State’s leading industries) into one. In this day and age, when farmers are struggling, it’s wonderful to see an attraction such as this thrive.
Critz Farms has year ‘round offerings (see their Web site for more information). They only charge admission during the fall season. However, what many people probably don’t realize is that when you pay admission that first time, you don’t pay again. It’s sort of like a season pass.
There is an admission charge of $6.00 per person on weekend days during the Fall Harvest Celebration, with a $30.00 per car maximum. Kids under 2 are free, and seniors are $4.00. Critz Farms also offers a discount – which applies to families of 5 or more – on their Web site; an admission pass is $25 if purchased online.
Loriana Walter’s mom, Lorrell, is a huge fan of local agriculture and is committed to making sure her daughter knows how hard farmers work to put food on her plate. The Walter family resides in Chittenango, NY.
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