Five Pumpkin Patches Worth Visiting

This week, we asked our Patch Facebook followers what were some of their favorite area pumpkin patches.

Below is a list of suggestions we got from readers and tips from other Patch editors. Let us know in the comments below if we missed one and/or where your family likes to go each year.

Also, if you make it out to a pumpkin patch, be sure to snap a picture of your family/child and

Dave's Pumpkins, 9122 Algonquin Road, Huntley

Dave's is open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and all pumpkins — no matter the size — are $5 a piece. On Sunday afternoons, Dave's offers a "slightly haunted, but not too scary" hayride for all ages from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $2 for adults and $1 for children 12 years and younger. A mini corn maze for smaller children is also set up at Dave's at no charge. Also available for sale at Dave's: pie pumpkins, gourds, corn shocks, straw bales, mini-bales, acorn squash, butternut squash and more. 

Goebbert’s Pumpkin Patch, 42W813 Reinking Road, Hampshire

Goebbert’s offers a lot more than just pumpkins. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission is $10 per person for Saturday, Sunday and Columbus Day; $8 per person Monday through Friday and children 2 years and younger are admitted free. Admission includes access to the petting farm (includes giraffes, tiger cubs and kangaroos), cornstalk maze, wagon ride to the pumpkin patch, a walk through the 3D haunted mine and a chance to see a 20-foot-tall electronic pumpkin-eating dinosaur. Pig races are held between 3 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends every two hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can pick a pig to cheer to the finish line.

Stade's Farm & Market, 3709 W. Miller Road, McHenry

Stade's Farm & Market "Shades of Autumn" is the annual Fall Festival at Stade's Farm & Market and a great place to bring the whole family to enjoy nature's bounty, great entertainment and activities in our Stade's Farmtractions Park.

Fall Festival Hours: Join us Saturdays and Sundays - 10 am to 6 pm for Fall Family Fun!                                                                                                               

Royal Oak Farm Orchard, 15908 Hebron Road, Harvard

On Saturdays and holidays in October, admission is $3 per vehicle and $1 for motorcycles. Besides pumpkins, Royal Oaks also has "u-pick" apples, raspberries and plums available — although visitors are encouraged to call ahead to make sure enough raspberries and plums are available for picking. Other activities available include a petting zoo, carousel, the "Royal Oaks Express" train ride and picking and orchard tours. A $2.50 token is needed to take part in the rides. Several special events are coming up at the farm, including a pumpkin fest on Oct. 15, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29. Hours of operation for the various services at Royal Oak Farm Orchard is available on their website. 

Tom's Farm Market and Greenhouses, 10214 Algonquin Road, Huntley

The hours of operation at Tom's Farm Market: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Besides picking your own pumpkins, Tom's Farm Market also has sweet corn until mid-October or until the first hard frost hits, and fall squash and apples available for purchase. In addition, Tom's Farm Market's fall festival runs through Oct. 31. The festival includes free admission to a 5-acre corn maze, straw mounds, petting zoo, bunny village, goat walk, wooden train/school bus/tractor and spider web. A pumpkin barrel ride, face painting, giant pumpkin jumper and more is available at a cost. More information on the fall festival is available on Tom's Farm Market website.