Fall Festivals

O'Shea's Farms
osheasfarm.com
34089 Stonehouse Line, RR#3, Granton
27 km from campus
This fantastic Fall Festival is great fun for families, but there's something for everyone. "Everyone's still a kid in one way or another," laughed Jeremy O'Shea. There's a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, horse-drawn wagons and so much more. You can get up close and personal with sheep, cattle, goats, chickens and pigs at the animal displays, or check out the bunny village for some fluffy fun.

Don't forget to check out the farm market, where you can pick up fresh baked goods, produce, meats, cheeses, preserves and more to make your autumn delicious.

Admission: General $10; Group pricing $8 for groups of four or more
Dates and Times: Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Monday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kustermans Berry Farms
getlostlondon.com
23188 Springwell Rd., Mount Brydges
29 km from campus
Kustermans is a fantastic fall destination, and their Fall Fest is a great way to spend an autumn afternoon. There are tons of activities for the young and young at heart; the admission price gets you into a sprawling 11-acre corn maze with three games to play inside, wagon rides, pig races, zip lines, pedal karts, pony rides and so much more. Included in the adult admission price is two shots with the corn cob cannon. "It's a pretty big gun that they shoot," said Steve Kustermans. Launch your cob 400 feet and try to hit some targets — additional shots are 50 cents each.

There is also an on-site market, and you don't need to pay the admission price to check it out. The market has tons of freshly baked treats, delicious berries straight from the farm, kitchen gadgets and cooking seasonings, gift items and more.

Admission: General $10
Dates and Times: Fridays 3 to 7 p.m.; Saturdays, Sundays and Thanksgiving Monday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pick-Your-Own

Dwarf Tree Orchard
1697 Byron Baseline Rd., London
17 km from campus
This orchard has been a London landmark for 25 years. Pick the ultimate jack-o'-lantern pumpkin from their patch, or spend hours finding the best fruit in the rows of their apple trees. They grow popular varieties like Jona Gold, Ida Red, Empire and more. There are tons of varieties of apples to choose from, so fire up that oven and grab your favourite apple pie recipe, gather all you need to make apple jam or jelly, or eat these tasty fall fruits just as they are.

Prices: Apples: 60 cents/pound; Pumpkins start at $4 ea.
Dates & Times: Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Great Lakes Farms
greatlakesfarms.ca
5111 Union Rd., RR#2 Port Stanley
51 km from campus
This farm, located just outside of Port Stanley, is home to a delectable selection of pick-your-own apples, and it also features a pumpkin patch and a corn maze. Great Lakes also features a bakery where you can pick up a towering Mile-High Apple Pie, or spend some time in their café with a delicious apple crumble. This farm also features tons of fall fun for families, from a small petting zoo to weekend tractor/wagon rides to a playground for the young ones. "It's a really nice day outing for families," said Donna, who works at the farm.

Prices: Most apple varieties: pick-your own 85 cents/pound or $1/pound for pre-picked; Honeycrisp apples: $1.95; Pumpkins: 40¢/pound; Corn Maze admission by donation
Dates & Times: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Corn Maze

Belmont Corn Maze
belmontcornmaze.net
46614 Crossley-Hunter Line, RR #1, Belmont
27 km from campus
This 10-acre corn field houses three mazes: a mini-maze and two full-size mazes. On the weekends following Thanksgiving, half the maze is transformed into a scare-your-pants-off labyrinth. "We always want to make it scarier than the year before," said Janine Lunn, one of the owners of the maze, and she's pretty confident that this year's maze is more terrifying than years past. For scaredy-cat visitors — or those who just can't seem to find their way out — there will be "corn cops" on patrol. If you're not big on haunted mazes, the maze is a non-scary one during the day and select nights (check the website for details).

There will also be a charity barbeque onsite, a charity night and other events on the farm — check the website for more details.

Admission (cash only): Regular Maze: General (18 and over) $8.25; Haunted Maze: $11 (all ages, not suitable for children under 10)
Dates & Times: Regular maze: Saturdays 1 to 7 p.m., Sundays 1 to 5 p.m.; Haunted maze: October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 (weather permitting) 7 to 10 p.m. (last visitors admitted one hour prior to closing)