Lyon Family Farms Opens for the 2023 Season

It’s technically not Fall unless you take a trip to a pumpkin patch, so I was thrilled when my son had a field trip scheduled to Lyon Family Farms! This family-owned business is about a 40-minute scenic drive through Tennessee hills from Huntsville and Madison. If you’ve never visited, it’s definitely worth the drive. If you have visited: they’re always adding new things! Plus don’t miss the firework show every Friday night in October!

Furry Friends & Pumpkins

There was plenty of parking when we arrived, and our first order of business was to head to the Schoolhouse to learn a little about the farm and how pumpkins are grown. From there our group got to go meet the animals that live at Lyon – pigs, goats, horses, cows, sheep, rabbits, and baby chicks – all the animals were feeling friendly and we got to pet several! There’s lots of hand sanitizer conveniently located after a petting session.

After that it was time to visit the pumpkin patch! The giant tractor pulled our hay wagon deep into the fields, and each child got to pick out their pumpkin. Our driver had a knife ready to help us cut any stubborn vines, and it was fun to see all the different choices the kids made in pumpkin sizes and colors. We had plenty of time in the patch and never felt rushed. When we arrived back at the main part of the farm, our pumpkins were collected for us in one spot and we initialed the bottoms to avoid any mix-ups later. It was time to explore the playground!

Lyon Farms Playground

Our school group had a variety of ages, and there was so much to do and something for everyone. The students loved having free reign on the zip lines and pillow bounce, while younger siblings played in the corn bin and smaller slides. My boys particularly liked the Rat Races, where you could race your friends inside a giant irrigation tube down a track.

Playground attractions include:

• Pillow bounce
• Pig Races
• Pumpkin Patch
• Cow Train
• Tractor Rides
• Ball Zone
• Coyote Mountain
• Duck Races
• Giant slides
• Swings of all sorts
• Corn bin
• Inflatables
• Zip line
• Hay jump
• Tire mountain
• Apple cannon
• Corn Maze & Kiddie Corn Maze

Even after two hours at the Playground, the kids still weren’t ready to stop for lunch! A rest was in order, and good smells were coming from the Dinner Bell, Lyon Farms’ snack bar.

What’s for Lunch at Lyon?

The covered pavilion is huge and provided great shade, seating, and a place to eat lunch on a sunny day. The snack bar served up a great variety of food: burgers, hot dogs, BBQ, fries, pizza, roasted corn, and chicken salad were just a few items offered. Of course funnel cakes, homemade donuts, fried Oreos, ice cream, pie, and caramel apples were some of the sweet treats also available.

Bathrooms: goodbye porta-potties, hello to two shiny new bathroom facilities! One located at the front of the Farm, and another in the back. Each has seven stalls for the women, and five stalls for men. A bank of sinks for hand washing is located right outside the petting zoo.

The Farm also has a nursing moms Quiet Corner with two real changing tables for families with babies, plus a nursing room – a nice detail that is much-needed and not found at other farms. Lyon Family Farms is also a smoke-free facility.

There’s a Pumpkin Barn Gift Shop to visit on the way out where you can purchase extra pumpkins, souvenirs, candy, cute gift items, and Fall decor. There’s also plenty of photo opportunities sprinkled throughout the grounds.

Things to Bring:

• Your camera – so many cute photos to snap!
• Sunscreen & sunhat – don’t get a sunburn, there’s not much shade
• Allowance money – kids are going to want to buy something in the gift shop
• Stroller or wagon for little ones – grounds are wheel-friendly

Lyon Family Farms Details

Location: 130 Bellview Road, Taft, TN (map)
Website: www.lyonfamilyfarms.com
Dates: September 22 – October 29, 2023
Hours: Wed & Thur from 12-6 PM; Fri 2-8 PM; Sat 9AM – 6PM; Sun 1-7 PM
Admission: Weekends $16.95 – $19.95; Weekdays $14.95 – $17.95; Peak Season $19.95 – $22.95; Season Pass $49.95 – $54.95; under 2 are FREE; activity punchcards available; purchase online. A $0.95 fee and tax are added to ticket sales.
Birthdays & Party Info

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