Fall festivities begin at Burnham Orchard

The kids are in school and autumn is around the corner, which means it's time for the Burnham Orchards' annual fall harvest festival in Berlin Heights. "Everybody has chaotic lives, and mom and dad are working and they don't get to spend a whole lot of time with their kids in the winter, so it's kind of a like a last chance to spend time before the snow comes," said Bakery Manager Brittany Castillo Morales. Apparently, the fall festival is far from a hidden secret, with attendance during the six weeks leading up to Halloween ranging anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 people a day on the weekends. What's appealing about the Burnham Orchards' events is aside from charging for activities, the entire affair is free. Every weekend there will be balloon making, animal feedings and hayrides, as well as kids activities and apple picking. Activity costs range from $1 for a bounce house visit and tube slide to $3 for hayrides and $16 for a children scarecrow making kit. Something added last year that is returning this year is the pumpkin cannon. For those readers without any experience with vegetable weaponry, we're literally talking about a cannon that shoots gourds into the sky. "There's just the fascination among people of being able to touch the ignition button, flip the switch and launch that pumpkin thousands of feet in the air and watching it soar," Castillo Morales said. "This year, the gentleman who owns the pumpkin cannon said he's bringing out a vehicle to put in our field and try to use as a target." The Burnham Orchards' fall harvest activities begin the weekend of Sept. 20 with the opening of the corn maze that boasts more than a mile of trails and 260,000 corn stalks. When asked if after the season farm hands discover lost families unable to find their way out of the maze, Castillo Morales laughed, "No, we just finds lots of garbage." Another highlight of the fall harvest festival takes place Oct. 18 and 19 at the farm with the 51st annual open house. "We bring free pony rides for children and also have exotic animals come in from Michigan," Castillo Morales said. "So there will also be camel rides. We have our cider mill open to allow people to walk in and see fresh cider being made right here on site, which is something we normally do during the week. On the Sunday of the open house, we also have an antique car show." While Castillo Morales said the Burnham Orchards isn't offering anything new for this year's festival, she did hint something big could be coming next year, which marks the 200th anniversary of the farm being run by the family. "We'll go above and beyond in 2015," she said. In the meantime, Castillo Morales is hoping families consider coming out to the fall festival. "If they've never been out here, they're missing so much," Castillo Morales said." They can come pick their pumpkins, pick their own apples and get their fall décor and yard signs for Halloween." She added, "It's just family fun with something for everybody." Here's a look at the Burnham Orchards' annual fall harvest festival schedule: • Family Scarecrow Making and Antique Tractor Show Sept. 27 and 28 Antique Tractor show, activities for children, hayrides, scarecrow making, corn maze and pumpkin patch. • Pumpkin Bash Weekend Oct. 4 and 5 The pneumatic pumpkin launcher begins operation with activities for children, hayrides, scarecrow making, corn maze and pumpkin patch. • Apple Butter Weekend Oct. 11 and 12 Apple Butter made on site by Elyria Community Methodist Church. There's also the pumpkin launcher, activities for children, hayrides, scarecrow making, corn maze and pumpkin patch. • 51st annual Open House Oct. 18 and 19 Exotic animals, petting zoo, watch fresh apple cider being pressed, pumpkin launcher, activities for children, hayrides, scarecrow making, corn maze and pumpkin patch. • Happy Halloween Weekend Oct. 25 and 26 The pumpkin launcher, activities for children, hayrides, scarecrow making, corn maze and pumpkin patch. The Burnham Orchards is located at 8019 State Route 113 E, Berlin Heights. The annual fall harvest festival schedule takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.on the weekends. Call 419-588-2138 or visit burnhamorchards.com.