This time of year in Appalachia has some wonderful traditions to herald the changing of the seasons with family and friends. As the days begin to grow shorter, and the leaves begin to turn colors, folks begin celebrating harvest time. One day, it's a trip to the local apple orchard for some fresh cider and apples for pies or canning. Another time it might be a scenic drive/hike through the mountains hoping to catch the brilliant foliage of the trees.
There's fall festivals, yard sales, and church bazaars. Decorations of autumn decor abound that consist of hay bales, corn stalks, and every kind of winter squash you can imagine! Certainly not least is the carving of pumpkins, the roasting of pumpkin seeds, and the excitement of Halloween parties and activities (though trick or treating is a dying tradition, sadly).
My personal favorite of these traditions is one that can be found in most any county in Appalachia ~ a trip to a family farm for a day of fun for all ages. I don't know when or where this tradition started, but I do know it is one that is woven into the tapestry of American culture during the autumn season.
What happens at a day on the farm?
The biggest attraction is often the corn maze. There may be one giant corn maze, or several smaller corn mazes. Each maze, at each farm, each year, is a different design. I'm sure that a lot of work goes into the planning of what design to make, and then plotting that on the ground throughout a corn field. One year I went to one so large there were large wooden platforms with stairs at intervals so you could look and see where you were in the maze, as you attempted to make your way out. There have been mazes that have clues posted throughout, mazes that are themed for sports or religion or local hometown heroes, or practically any subject you can imagine.
One year a farm I went to had "punkin chuckin" where you could put a pumpkin in a homemade catapult. That was a lot of fun. There's usually a variety of activities to choose from ~ there might be giant tricycles on a track, slides, swings, ziplines, pony rides, and games to play. You might find a little petting zoo with goats or sheep.
This year there was even a little wooden dairy cow set up in the barn for the youngsters to try their hand at milking a cow. There was a rubber duck race at the well pumps, and benches placed throughout the sunflower patches surrounding the corn fields to get that "perfect" photo of the family for a keepsake. There are also usually "concessions" available to purchase for snacks and vary from farm to farm, year to year. This year, there were choices like kettle corn, nachos, or hot dogs.
Of course, no fall farm visit would be complete without a hayride and a pumpkin patch. Climb on up, sit on some hay bales, and ride along to another part of the farm to find the perfect pumpkin to take home. While these hayrides are now behind a tractor, I can imagine this particular tradition probably pre-dates modern machinery.
It does my heart good to see this farm tradition continuing to be a popular family activity each autumn. The farm we visited this year, Kyker Farms, has been in the same family for 9 generations, which is no small boast in modern American times.
First, it gives farms an ability to raise money and continue their farms in a time where Appalachian farms are falling or being developed into housing subdivisions at an alarming rate. Second, and just as importantly, it helps people to get a little taste of a day on the farm, in a manner that helps foster appreciation and education for folks. Whether it's your child petting a goat for the first time, someone seeing corn on the stalk, or getting the chance to walk around in a field of pumpkins, the connection to the earth we eat from is vital.
I hope you've enjoyed a little glimpse into my favorite autumn tradition here in Appalachia. If you ever find yourself in the hollers and valleys of any part of these ancient mountains in October, you are never a stone's throw away from your own special day on a family farm, making memories to last a lifetime.
For more information on Kyker Farms, the farm pictured in this post, check out their website:
http://www.kykerfarmscornmaze.com/
