Fort Vannoy Farms - Zipline, Pumpkin Chunkin', Cow Train, and MORE!!

It’s pumpkin patch time and of course that means What to do in Southern Oregon is going to hit at least two or three fall celebrations!  Ok, maybe even more because WE LOVE FALL!  Of course we always check out our Medford pumpkin patches right here in the Rogue Valley, but this year we wanted to tackle a new one so we decided to spend the day at Fort Vannoy Farms in Grants Pass. If you live in Medford, to some it may seem a little far to drive to a pumpkin patch, but this isn't just any pumpkin patch.  This is the amusement park of pumpkin patches!   I’m not kidding; we were smiling from ear to ear the whole day!

When we got there we went directly to buying our tickets.  We started our little pumpkin patch adventure with getting Olivia and Ilias' wiggles out by running around the hay pyramid.  It was actually a FREE activity that ended up being Olivia's favorite thing to do all day.  In the same little area were rubber duck races and a mini hay maze that both kids had fun doing, both of these activities were also FREE! 

We then went over to the zip line and we were the only ones in line so we got on the free hayride out to the zip line loading area right away.  Ilias and Gary got harnessed up first and headed out on another tractor ride up to the platform.  When they came down they had huge smiles on their faces and Ilias immediately asked me if he could go again.  Now the boys don't get to have all the fun, it was my turn and I've got to be honest with you, I was nervous.  The ride out was actually calming because the view just gets better and better as you get above the farm.  As I climbed the tower I had butterflies in my stomach and I when I got to the top I almost gasped because the view was simply breathtaking.  I felt like I was on top of the world and then I remembered that I would be flying down a cable, plummeting to the earth in just a few minutes.  The young man up there to help was super sweet and patient and let me take my time psyching myself up to go.  He gave me some very good tips, telling me to just sit down and lift my feet if I didn't want to jump off of the platform and that is exactly what I did.  It was amazing!  Flying through the sky, with the wind flying through my hair, a chill in the air and a bird’s eye view, a perfect moment.  It was so exhilarating and one I hope to repeat in the near future.  Once we got our harnesses put away we hopped back on the hayride to the farm and immediately jumped on the cow train. 

Now, the cow train is not just for the little kiddos.  All four of us hopped on and we could not stop laughing.  It was like a roller coaster, with lots of ups and downs, twists and turns and even a tunnel, but you are sitting in cows with names like Buttercup…and Dude.  We went so fast over some of the hills that my cell phone flew right out of my pocket.  It was pure childhood fun and we loved every moment. 

We decided that after the train we needed a break so we did a little duck racing and then got the HUGEST cotton candy that was gone in under ten minutes.  

Seriously!  Look at that face!

After our little treat, it was time for us to take on the Pumpkin Chunkin'.  Seriously this was soooo fun!  Even if we didn't do it ourselves it was so fun just watching.  Ilias carefully picked out his pumpkin…, the rounder the better, shaped more like a bullet according to him.  They put the pumpkin in the cannon and then you line things up, honk the warning horn, and then push the button.  What happens after that is awesome, amazing, fantastic, and all of those other adjectives we use to describe an experience that is one of the coolest we've EVER had.  If you hit the bus you hear a huge boom and watch as your pumpkin is obliterated.  Ilias and Gary both hit the bus.  It was truly so cool!  They also have an apple cannon; not as magnificent in destruction but still crazy fun to watch!  Gary and Ilias had so much fun that after we conquered the corn maze, they bought two more tickets to use the pumpkin cannon.  After the pumpkin chunkin' and apple cannon we tackled their corn maze.

The corn maze was HUGE; we had to use the map because we would have gotten lost, lots of twists and turns, and dead ends.  If you get lost, don't worry, Fort Vannoy Farms has Search and Rescue volunteers at the farm in case anyone gets lost and needs help getting out.  They even have a drone to use to find people.  I'm not kidding!  Our corn maze pro (Ilias) gave it huge thumbs up, promising to bring his cousins with him so that could conquer it together.  With that I have two tips for you.  Number one; make sure that you have everyone use the facilities before you head into the maze.  It is long and we had to zoom to the end halfway through so that Olivia could get to the potty.  Number two, make sure that you have water and maybe even a snack if you have the kiddos with you.  Always essentials to survive anything that takes more than ten minutes, for some reason kids think that they need to be sustained constantly (and somehow I forget that a lot). :)

If we were to name our favorites of the day, I don't know that any of us would have just one thing because the whole day was our favorite.     From the friendly employees, to each activity, Fort Vannoy Farms has thought out every single thing.  They also have face painting, a food truck, and even have a huge seating area to sit down under a canopy to rest.  And when you watch the kids play on the hay pyramid they have chairs around it so that you can sit and enjoy watching.  When you go, plan to spend at least half of your day having fun!    We already want to go back, it was well worth the drive to Grants Pass, and the drive out there is absolutely beautiful once you get out of town.

If you want to go Fort Vannoy Farms is located at:  5791 River Rd, Grants Pass  MAP 

Fort Vannoy Farms is open every day 10am to 6pm.  The Corn Maze ($6) and Pumpkin Patch is daily 11am to 6pm | They will have the Haunted Corn Maze on Saturdays and Sunday, October 21st, 22nd, 28th & 29th, 7pm-11pm, tickets are $10 per person. 

Admission is FREE and the cost of activities are as follows:  Zip Line $8 | Cow Train $5 | | Pumpkin Chunkin' $5 | Apple Cannon Blaster (3 shots) $5

Find all of the details on all of the Fall Festivities, Pumpkin Patches,  Halloween Fun in Southern Oregon on our website at www.whattodoinsouthernoregon.com!  

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest

Kids & Creeks at Bear Creek Park - A FREE Family Event

Kids & Creeks at Bear Creek Park

The Kids and Creeks event at Bear Creek Park in Medford is truly a wonderful adventure to embark on as a family. When we decided to go, we weren't quite sure what to expect and we are were truly delighted.

When we go to the park we were promptly greeted and handed a map  directing us all around the park to different stations featuring different organizations from Southern Oregon.  Each of them are working to preserve and educate us about this amazing eco-system we are surrounded by.

Map for Kids & Creeks

Fly tying was the first activity we decided to join.  The Rogue Flyfishers were there to teach the kids.  They were a very nice group of gentlemen with the utmost patience.  Ilias immediately dove in and was taught how to tie a fly from start to finish.  Olivia sat and watched for a little while until one of the other gentlemen said she should tie one.  We were all entranced by the whole process, it truly is an art form.

 Wrapping the feather around the hook at Kids & Creeks.

 Ilias making the bug at Kids & Creeks

Rogue Flyfishers at Kids & Creek.

 Olivia cutting the thread wrapping the hook at Kids & Creeks.

 The almost finished fly at Kids & Creek.

The  Rogue Flyfishers then showed Ilias and Gary how to use a fly fishing rod.  They both loved learning to cast and found that it was way easier than they thought it was going to be.  Gary was almost lulled into a meditative state. I think they both found a new hobby to tackle!

Ilias learning to cast at Kids and Creeks.

We were then directed down to the creek to watch salmon spawning.  What an awesome experience.  We actually saw salmon swimming and jumping up Bear Creek trying to get back home to lay their eggs

They can see salmon spawning at Kids & Creeks.

I wish I could have captured a picture of the salmon spawning, next time I will make more time to sit patiently and wait for the perfect shot.  But  you really need to be there to truly appreciate the beauty of it all.  While we were down by the creek the kids were also, able to catch critters with nets and they actually caught some baby crayfish.  Olivia was both excited and grossed out all at once.

They supplied the boots and nets at Kids and Creeks at Bear Creek Park.

Olivia taking a gander at what the boys caught.

Baby crayfish.

We next stopped at the Stormwater Management booth.  They provided us  information on how we can help improve the quality of stormwater runoff in conjunction with our rivers, lakes, and streams.

Olivia sprayed water at the top and watched as it flowed down into the lake.

Our next stop was the Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates.  They educated us about monarch butterflies, and how they may soon be an endangered species.  They even gave us some seeds to plant milkweed, which draws butterflies.

 Olivia became a Monarch caterpillar.

 Moving on down the path we spoke to a young man who works with the Lomakatsi Restoration Project.  It is a non-profit, grassroots organization that develops and implements forest and watershed restoration projects in Oregon and northern California. They encourage all to do their part and offer volunteer opportunities also.

Our next stop  Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District helps people protect and conserve their natural resources.  They offer camps, workshops and volunteer opportunities for anyone that is interested.

They poured purple water through all different types of soil to show how they all filter differently.  Crazy how the different soils changed the color of the water.

Rogue River Watershed wants us to help make the Rogue River watershed be healthy, productive and beautiful.  The kids were able to play in the stream table that simulated the different possibilities that may occur in the Rogue River during the changes in  weather.  It also showed the different habitats for wildlife and how they may adapt to their surrounding environment.

They also actually dissected a salmon so that we could see the workings of a fish. Olivia wasn't ready to tackle that, so we just watched a family that was there as they dissected the salmon.

Our last stop was Stream Smart they taught us  how we need to keep Bear Creek clean by reducing our own storm water pollution.  They had actual water samples from Bear Creek bottled for us to look at.  It was really horrible to see how bad it has become and made us want to do our part to help.

The whole event was truly extraordinary, full of fun while being educational and helped direct us to possible future volunteer opportunities that we can participate in as a family.  This will be something we hope to make an annual family tradition to attend.  Both Ilias and Olivia loved it and it certainly helped them appreciate  the many things we can do to help keep Oregon beautiful and green.

If you want to go it will be on Saturday, October 15th, 11am to 3pm at Bear Creek Park in Medford.  MAP

For more FREE events in Southern Oregon visit us on our website here.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest