The season for pumpkin flavored drinks and food, colorful foliage, and Halloween decorations has hit full throttle. While filling those urges for pumpkin spiced lattes and baked goods can be done on campus at the Starbucks, the joy of picking your own pumpkin from the vine has to be done off campus.
Highland Orchards, at 1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Rd, with over 200 acres of farm land and growing crops, has activities for every season, but especially fall. The family-friendly area is home to goats that you can feed, play grounds, hay rides, and barbeque on weekends.
During the week, after obtaining a quick license, you can drive your own car to the patch where you are free to pick any amount of pumpkins you want, only 59 cents per pound. The patch is surrounded by apple trees, and the rolling hills with Christmas trees, corn stalks, berries, and fruit trees makes for an unforgettably beautiful landscape.
If you’re not the out-doors type, but still want the authentic and natural experience that the Orchards has to offer, their farm market is filled with pre-picked pumpkins, gourds, apples, and more from their own orchards. Inside the market, many organic items are for sale, including cider, milk, jam, and baked goods, which are all made from their own crops.
Want to have a romantic fall date? Evening hayrides from 6 to 8 p.m. are held every Friday and Saturday in October for $6 per person. This includes a 20 minute ride through the orchard and back. When you return, there is a warm campfire waiting where you can enjoy fresh apple-cider.
With most of the items in the market being local, they offer fresh produce from farms in Chester and Lancaster counties. The pies are always in season, and their award winning ‘Best of Philly’ Apple Cider Donuts give you that fall fix all year long.
Gabrielle Rosati is a fourth-year English major with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at GR688985@wcupa.edu.