Summer blew by, didn’t it? Hope you are able to eke out every last drop of summer fun as the season winds down. Now it’s time to get ready for autumn, which officially begins on Tuesday, September 22 at 10:29 p.m. EDT.

In Anoka County, with the onset of autumn comes harvest time and the opening of Anoka County Farms. If you’re new to the area and have kids, a visit to the farm is a must.

The 2014 Anoka County Farms Celebration

From the tiny to the gigantic, this is the place to get your Halloween pumpkins. In fact, on August 25^th, the farm picked a 900 pound pumpkin and posted a photo of it on Facebook. But that’s not the only reason to visit.

The kids love the hay rides, pony rides, a jumping castle and straw maze. Older folks get a kick out of pumpkin bowling and shopping for gourds and other decorative fall items.

Hay rides are scheduled from 5 p.m. until sunset on Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays take a hayride from 10 a.m. until sunset.

There are no pony rides Monday through Friday but on Saturday the kids can ride from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Anoka County Farms officially opens this year on September 20 and runs through October 31.

It is open Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. until sunset, Friday from noon until sunset and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until sunset.

You’ll find the farm at 125 Bunker Lake Blvd. in Ham Lake.