Center Grove Orchard was such a fun place to be this past fall, and in years past. There is so much…read moreto do, you really can make a full day visit. Lost of farm animals to check out, tons of kids activities, a huge pumpkin patch, an apple grove where you can pick your own apples, a train to ride, a corn maze, and a market where there are farm made jams, jellies, peanut butter, honey, baked goods and more. There were also signs up saying there will be strawberry picking in the summer, and they also have fields of flowers in the appropriate seasons. They are striving to make their farm a year-round destination.

My biggest gripe was that this is a family centered destination and there is nowhere for nursing…read moremothers to feed their babies? A worker suggested I feed my baby in a port a potty. I had to go all the way back to the car to feed her. :( A lot of the food stops are closed at the end if the season. The funnel cake place wasn't taking orders because they set the oil too low or something and couldn't give a clear time they would be ready. However! There were some cute photo stops and my kid had a blast in the big corn pool I have never seen anything like it. They also have the BEST applesauce I have ever had.

Got to check this place out during a Yelp event. Without Yelp I would never heard of this place. No…read moregeneral admission unless you want to do the maze prices are very reasonable $8 for anyone over 6, age 4-5 $1, and under is free, great for the whole. It's not a grand big pumpkin patch like the other ones around town that are pretty popular, they do have activities. They have a mini corn maze and the big one is shaped like the Super Mario characters and it's a scavenger hunt that will keep you busy. There is also a campfire. I will say this place is a little run-down, when I pulled into the parking lot I wasn't so sure, don't try to be cute or where cute shoes or dress up it's pretty muddy out there. The staff was nice and they have a kitchen where u can order snacks and some warm to drink when it's chill outside.

I love going to the Pumpkin Patch at Pumpkinville & Cornmaze in Mitchelleville, IA. It's only…read more15-20min drive outside of DSM, and the only dog friendly pumpkin patch. It's our little family tradition to go out a pick pumpkins with a snack and warm cider. This wonderful place has a cute treasure hunt in the corn maze, tractor ride to the pumpkin patch, corn kernel pit for the kiddos, and a small little snack shop. You can even have a little bonfire there while drinking warm apple cider.

My absolute favorite pumpkin farm since I've been a kid. In recent years, they've done away with…read morepicking your own out in the field but they have tons of sizes and gourds to choose from inside the shed. Dick and Letha DeMoss are the sweetest people and honestly, the reason I make the drive up from DSM. Letha bakes all of the bread and makes most of the jam, you must grab at least one of each! Dick is great for cooking advice; he'll tell in great detail how to prepare anything you buy. They have other seasonal produce: tomatoes, green beans, onions, etc. Find them at Ames Farmer's Market and their veggie stand in town! Lots of good photo opportunities as well-- antiques, tractors, fields, outbuildings. The cutest!

Super great place! No spray pick your own fruits, veggies and berries! Highly recommend!read more

From the owner: We specialize in pick - your - own berries, fruits, and vegetables as well as home made jams and…read moreorganic resale of grains, beans, and other food products.

Great little patch out on highway 17. I've passed it a few times over the years and said going…read morethere next year for our pumpkins. Well I finally followed thru. You can grab a wagon and wander the patch choosing your own or grab one from the piles they have brought up to the barn. The have just about every size you can think of from tiny to huge. "How are we going to carve this?" was spoken when we loaded one into the Jeep. They also have lot of other decorative gourds, multi colored corn, and a variety of squash. It's a Mom and Pop operation and I always love those way better then spending my money at the huge stores in the city.

My wife, son and I went together and had a horrible experience. The employees barely paid attention…read moreto the children that were running amok. My son slipped on a busted pumpkin on the ground, breaking his arm. When the owner came out, she was very disrespectful and told us if we came after her for it, she would win because she has lawyers for situations such as this. Steer clear of this place. Not only is it a dangerous environment, but she clearly has no regard for the customers that visit the farm.

My family and I visited Blacks Heritage Farm and had a wonderful experience. Staff was very…read morefriendly and showed us where everything was . We enjoyed seeing all the animals and picking pumpkins. 10 out of 10 would recommend!

Awesome for kids and adults. You can easily spend a full day on all the activities! Staff very…read morefriendly!

Always a great experience at Howells. Lots of room for the kids to run and play and be loud. Every…read moreyear there is more fun added. This we we took in some food while hunting down the perfect pumpkin, got lost in the maze and enjoyed seeing and feeding the baby goats.

I am from California, moved to Minnesota in 2016 and Waukee the end of 2016 - needless to say, I've…read morebeen around and visited many pumpkin farm/apple orchard places. Wills Family Orchard is, by FAR, the best I've EVER been to. The lady in the shop, the gentleman leading the hayride and the young man overseeing the pumpkin patch were all very friendly and helpful! They went above and beyond to ensure my two young daughters and I had an amazing time. Every step of the way they were informative, friendly and engaging. The apple picking was amazing - petting the goats was unforgettable and the play area for the children was so much fun. We highly recommend this place!!

Had a great experience here! Went with my family and the kids really enjoyed all the activities and…read morewe picked apples. You must get some of their apple cider donuts- made fresh and so good!

So much fun. We took Ana here. we all enjoyed it so much. it went the day before memorial day. it…read morewas free admission. a cup of food to feed them. there's a little shop. the staff/owners are wonderful, full of information and glad to share it. Abigail was glad to give information about the alpacas. Thanks for the great adventure for our Spanish daughter.

Since moving to Iowa last summer, one of the most fun things we have done is visiting Rusty Stars…read moreAlpaca. It's more than a half-hour from Ankeny but well worth the drive. Led by owners Kari and Aron, this place has such a good vibe. Their availability on the property makes the whole visit memorable, regardless of your age, your awareness of alpacas, or your experience with farm life. They have 42 alpacas and a llama on the property, and it is a unique experience to wander among them. Each of the alpacas has a name, looks different, and is interactive. As Kari described, they are "food-centric. " Being able to feed them from your hand was fun for this city boy. The alpacas have their own personalities, too. They have walking trips, too, but we refrained due to the snow and ice on a February day. We loved their gift shop, which was loaded with fun items and alpaca-themed apparel. I'm glad I bought a warm pair of valuable socks, which came in handy just a few days later! There is no paid admission to the property, just a suggested donation. The owners accept Venmo and cash. We were happy to contribute at the end. Aside from the obvious fun to mingle with alpacas, the owners elevate the entire experience, adding kindness, knowledge, and a great tone throughout. I wish everyone were as nice as Kari and Aron! Check out their social sites for fun photos and videos.

I noticed that this spot, which I've stopped at many times over the years, is lacking for attention…read moreon Yelp. Time to remedy that. Slim's is a pretty typical roadside fruit and vegetable market. More than a stand, less than a store. What you find, of course, depends on the time of year. This stop we enjoyed some Iowa grown tomatoes and Iowa baked Kringla. They also round out their offerings with some less than local produce, such as Georgia peaches. They also have a variety of, mostly local, jams and the like. It's not necessarily the cheapest place to shop, but quality is consistently good. It's located west of downtown Story City at the intersection with Highway 69. It's a two minute drive. If you're in town for the carousel, the Scandinavian thing... try Hwy 69 rather than I-35 for a change and enjoy some fruit and veggies.

This place is a hidden gem who deserves to shine! The quality of the fruits and veg is FAR superior…read moreto what I find at the grocery stores. The peaches are bigger than the palm of hand and the plums are probably winning records! The very kind lady working this afternoon helped a very clueless city girl select a watermelon, don't judge, I don't know how to pick 'em!