Connecting with Nature and Pumpkins At Andrews' Scenic Acres Farms...

What a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend in Toronto! Couldn't think of a better way to spend one of the lovely days than with my siblings' families and mine at this 35-year old farm rustling with fun family activities, food, a haunted forest walk-through and pick-your-own pumpkins, corn, berries and even flowers. How amazing is it to connect with nature with all its beauty within such a relatively short drive from the hustle and bustle of the city core? Andrews' Scenic Acres grow 165 acres of luscious fruit and vegetables. Their home farm is dedicated 100% to pick your own crops starting the first weekend in May with rhubarb and asparagus. Strawberries start ripening in June, followed by raspberries, cherries, currants, gooseberries, blueberries, sweet corn, elderberries, gourds, Indian corn and pumpkins. In 1999, they expanded to include a fruit winery "Scotch Block Winery". They are also the first farm to offer an extensive array of annual and perennial flowers for customer cutting. Located west in Halton Hills and housing a Mennonite constructed barn as a 3200 sq.ft. farm market, they offer the same ready picked fruit and vegetables that are available in the fields along with a great selection of honey, fruit jams, home-baked goods such as cookies, tarts and an array of delicious pies. Let the fun begin....

Whether lunch or snack, a nice selection of on-site foods delight-- Oktoberfest pork sausages, hamburgers, funnel cakes, custom-made-before-your-eyes fresh fruit frozen yogurt and ice cream and of course hot boiled corn were all visitor favourites! Their sweet corn is cooked in a turn of the century iron kettle formerly used for boiling maple syrup.

Loads and loads of fruits and vegetables ready to be sold and taken home with you...

This bi- and tri-coloured corn display was simply gorgeous!

Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes abound for purchase. I was happy to see they also offered a huge selection of imperfect wonky pumpkins with warts and all.... adds an extra touch of eerieness to Halloween!

This cute straw mountain playground had kids of all ages running, climbing and jumping!

My son Matias in awe of the dark red Indian corn on the cob-- happy discovery!

We were stepping on hard black spheres that looked like rocks. With a closer view, we realized they were walnuts along certain pathways that dropped out of walnut trees.

Farm animals such as this beautiful pair of turkeys, chickens and goats thoroughly entertained the little ones.

Breathtaking scenery! To be able to be in an open field like this basking in nature's glory is so freeing-- you feel instantly recharged like a reboot to your system weighed down by the chaos of day-to-day and hecticness of city life...

Who doesn't love ladybugs... so gentle and pretty!!

Here goes our friendly haunted forest walk-through...

The sprawl of stunning scenery is endless.... 

catches you in the moment and let's you stay there taking it all in one breath at a time...

Peekaboo... I see you!!!

The corn field where these purple corn were growing.... gotta' try cooking these up soon...

A field of gorgeous annual and perennial flowers for you to cut-your-own 

such as sunflowers, lupins, gladioli, dahlias, roses, lilies, peonies and iris. 

Hop onto the tractor drawn hay wagon to ride to the open field for in season pick your own produce.

My sister's three lovely boys enjoying a pumpkin seat. Now why didn't I do that with mine?

Raspberry and blueberry picking!! Happy, happy!!

And of course, how do you leave without picking up some homemade pies!  Deeelish!

Pumpkin and Strawberry Rhubarb 9" pies.

Get out there and enjoy the wonderful bounty of sights, smells and tastes fall has to offer! For more information about Andrews' Scenic Acres, check out their official site.