One of the coolest things about parenthood is making your own family traditions. For my family, that means apple picking at the beginning of September, “breakfast for dinner” on birthdays and Krohn Conservatory’s holiday trains on Christmas Eve. As of this year, Fall on the Farm at Blooms and Berries has become our family’s newest family tradition.
We went to this acclaimed fall festival for the first time last year, and had so much fun, we knew we’d be returning this year. Julian’s been talking about wheeling a giant load of pumpkins for weeks now. Mary fondly remembers the Cow Train. Harvey, my little animal lover, couldn’t wait to see the chickens, goats and bunnies. My husband had big plans to beat last year’s pumpkin haul, which last year totaled a little less than 50 pounds. And as for me — well, I was beyond excited for the sunflowers, which were in full bloom last weekend! (I was secretly hoping to snap a picture for our family holiday card this year.)
Without a doubt, all five of us got what we wanted at Fall on the at Farm Blooms and Berries — and more.
Year after year, Fall on the Farm offers local families a fun experience they can look forward to. You know you’ll see huge piles of pumpkins as you walk in. Big, orange pumpkins. Warty gourds. Oddly shaped winter squash. Eerie white ghost pumpkins.
You know the giant slide will be just as fun and fast as ever.
You know the cow train will be bumpy, bouncing and boisterous. The animals will be alert, active and adorable. The mini pumpkin patch will have the most perfectly round and delightfully child-sized pumpkins you’ve ever seen. The Corn Maze will be crazy — yet maybe, a year later your family just might be able to conquer all 7 acres of The Great Honey Caper.
But, despite the comforts of tradition, you’ll still be happily surprised. This year, we got to experience the sunflowers. And, wow. There’s nothing quite like wandering through a maze of tall, towering sunflowers that shine brilliantly gold and yellow and gently bend with the wind and appear to actually be smiling. The sunflowers took my breath away — and despite it being nearly impossible to get all three of my kids to smile, at the same time, for the camera, I think I might’ve gotten this year’s holiday picture!
Traditions are a little piece of certainty in an ever-changing world. And, as parents, we know better than anyone how quickly things change. How fast kids grow. How heartbreaking this whole journey of parenthood can be. That’s why we come up with silly family traditions; so that, year after year, we can return to a place of shared memory and experience.
Just like it is for many other Cincinnati families, Blooms and Berries is now one of our family’s traditions. Come out this fall, and start a tradition for your family. Measure your kids on the pumpkin yardstick. Recreate favorite family pictures. Visit the goats who were just kids last year. Observe what’s changed, but take comfort in everything that’s still just as you remembered.
Fall on the Farm at Blooms and Berries happens daily through October 31. It’s open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Hayrides happen all day on Saturdays and Sundays, and from 12-6:20 p.m. on Monday-Friday. Admission varies by day; I recommend checking out Toddler Tuesdays, where kids ages 2-4 get half-price admission with a regular priced adult.
