The Ankeny Brief
Fall in central Iowa means loading up the car for a corn maze, a wagon ride, and a pumpkin the size of a beach ball. Here are the patches and orchards worth the short drive from Ankeny, what each one is known for, and when to go so you are not stuck in the October crowds.
The closest full-size fall farm to Ankeny is Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge, about 20 minutes north, with a 25-acre pumpkin patch, a 20-acre apple orchard, and a corn maze. For pies and a smaller trip, Iowa Orchard in Urbandale is about 20 minutes southwest, and Howell's Pumpkin Patch and Wilson's Orchard & Farm in Cumming are about 30 minutes south. Peak season runs late September through October.
Center Grove Orchard is the big one, and the closest full-day fall farm to Ankeny, about 20 minutes north up I-35 near Cambridge. It has a 25-acre pumpkin patch and a 20-acre apple orchard, plus a corn maze, jumping pillows, a sunflower meadow, goat feeding, and nine food stands known for cider donuts and farmhouse pies. It is a make-a-day-of-it place, and it gets busy on October weekends. 32835 610th Ave, Cambridge.
Iowa Orchard (Urbandale, about 20 minutes southwest) is the one to know for pies, with a pumpkin patch, a strawberry patch, and a Family Fun Zone of corn boxes, a jumping pillow, and hay slides. 9875 Meredith Dr, Urbandale.
Howell's Pumpkin Patch (Cumming, about 30 minutes south) is a metro classic: a pumpkin cannon, a corn maze, a cow slide, tractor rides, and a big greenhouse. 3145 Howell Court, Cumming.
Wilson's Orchard & Farm (Cumming) is a 125-acre farm for picking apples, pumpkins, and berries, with a Ciderhouse restaurant serving wood-fired pizza and cider donuts. 3201 15th Ave, Cumming.
Pumpkinville (Mitchellville, about 20 minutes east) is a smaller, free-admission patch that is easy on the wallet for a quick pumpkin run. Mitchellville.
Apples ripen from late August through October; pumpkins and the big activity season peak from late September through the end of October. Weekends in October are the busiest, so a weekday visit means shorter lines. Most of the larger farms charge admission for the activity areas (Howell's and Iowa Orchard among them) and often sell tickets cheaper online, while some, like Pumpkinville, are free to walk in. Hours and prices change every year, so check each farm's website before you drive. Dress for mud and bring cash for the food stands.
You do not always have to leave town. The Uptown Farmers Market stocks local pumpkins and gourds as the season turns, and grocery and hardware stores around Ankeny set up pumpkin displays in October. For a full fall weekend, pair a patch with a walk on the local trails or a stop at Jester Park.
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Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge, about 20 minutes north, is the closest full-size patch and orchard, with a 25-acre pumpkin patch and a corn maze.
Center Grove Orchard in Cambridge and Wilson's Orchard & Farm in Cumming offer apple picking; Iowa Orchard in Urbandale is known for pies. Apples ripen late August through October.
Late September through the end of October is peak, with October weekends busiest. Apples start earlier, in late August. Weekdays are less crowded.
Yes, Pumpkinville in Mitchellville has free admission. Bigger farms like Howell's and Iowa Orchard charge for activities but are cheaper if you buy online.