Dewberry Farm

The weather is cooling, the humidity is dropping and the leaves are changing. Well, maybe not the changing leaves part, but you get the picture. It's fall here in Southeast Texas and even though we won't see anything below 55 before December, we still like to pretend like the seasons are changing.

Our family celebrated autumn by going to Dewberry Farm today. It's a place near Brookshire that promised a corn maze, pumpkin patch and hayrides galore. I wish we could have donned our clothing as though it's October in Maine, but alas, it's Texas and so we dressed accordingly. You know...shorts and t-shirts. To be honest, this is often our Christmas morning attire as well. We always want colder weather, but there is something to be said about being able to play with those toys without getting frostbite.

Anyhoo, we went to the farm and had a great time. The tickets were pretty reasonable, but they nickel and dimed us to death once inside. The kids were having such a great time that we didn't mind, but I doubt we'll do it again next year. It was an hour and a half drive to get there, and we could have done many of the things closer to home.

First we went through the corn maze, which was a lot of fun. Trevor hid and jumped out at the kids, and then Nathan and Grace kept trying to "hide" and scare us. We saw the orange pumpkin patch peeking through the corn, so we made our way out there for a bit. The curiosity of children never ceases to amaze me. There were hundreds of beautiful, orange pumpkins at which to look, and my kids run straight for the first rotten one they see so they can poke sticks in the goopy mess and make disgusted noises.

We finally tore them away from that little side attraction, and were able to take a few pictures of them. I got very few pictures of them looking directly at the camera, because they were too busy having fun to stop for me.

Next, Gracie rode a bike on a racetrack, and Nathan shot the corn cannon. He got nine shots and was trying to hit several targets in the field. He hit the cowboy right in the head on his third shot, and almost hit a bucket that would have won us $25. We then went to the pavilion for a tasteless, overpriced lunch that we were forced to purchase because NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED. Hmmm....there was no "food" inside either. I had a charred, dry hamburger patty on an oversized, cold bun.

Good times.

We didn't let the lack of nourishment stop us though. Nathan decided to try his hand at the zip line, while I took Gracie to the playground. When she was tired of that, we found Trevor and Nathan and went to the haystack. I personally think this was the most enjoyable attraction at the farm. The kids loved it, and quickly went to work making holes in which to hide. Nathan made a friend, and they were trying to dig out a tunnel, while Gracie was happy taking flying leaps from the top.

Note: Hay gets inside clothing very easily, and it is very scratchy. I took Gracie to the bathroom right before we left, and her pants (and panties) were full of it! I didn't see it in her underwear, and as I tried to help her pull them up she started doing a funny little dance and squealing, "ooh, ooh, ooh!" I had to get her completely out of her clothes to rid them of all those pesky stalks. Thank goodness the bathrooms were clean!

All in all, it was a great day. The kids were exhausted and so were we, but it was worth it. Once we were home and it began to get dark, we started a fire in the fire pit outside and toasted marshmallows. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Update: After reading the comment that Farmer Dewberry left on this post, I felt as though I should clarify a few things. Firstly, my apologies to the owners of Dewberry Farm if what I said threw negative light on their establishment. His comment was kind and when I wrote the post it was strictly from the standpoint of a consumer. I never thought of what it might sound like to the person who owns and operates such a large place.

Secondly, although the things I said were true, there were so many positive things about the trip that I would not want to discourage anyone else who might be thinking of going. For instance, on most of the attractions that required additional payment, it was a one time fee for the entire day. They would mark the kid's armbands and allow them unlimited entry.

The atmosphere was one of good, clean fun and there was even a sign at the entrance to the farm warning visitors that no profanity would be tolerated. It was refreshing to see a place that caters to families. If the farm would like to make improvements to the service, I would recommend allowing patrons to bring in their own coolers, etc for lunch. They have lovely facilities for outdoor eating, and it would have been fun to pack a lunch and have a picnic.

So, if you are looking for a fun way to spend your weekend, check out Dewberry Farms.