You know it’s autumn in Skaneateles with the opening of Tim’s Pumpkin Patch on Rose Hill Road. And if the Great Pumpkin visits anywhere in Skaneateles, it’s safe to say he comes to Tim’s — that iconic fall destination where pumpkins cost only $2 and the apple cider donuts are impossible to resist.
Now in its 25th year of business, Tim’s this year offers a new corn maze and indoor hay maze for kids, and retains its usual fossil digging pit, farm animals to feed and pet, scary Halloween decorations and wagon rides on weekends. And the homemade baked goods continue their mouth-watering tradition: apple fritters, molasses cookies, apple cider donuts, apple and pumpkin pies and pumpkin funnel cakes, all topped off with pumpkin-spiced coffee.
And, despite the poor economy, Tim’s has kept its pumpkin prices the same as they have been for the past five years, and continues to refuse to charge people simply to come to the farm, as some farms do.
“Tim and I grew up on dairy farms and we think it’s crazy to charge people just to expose them to agriculture,” said pumpkin patch co-owner Erica Leubner, wife of the eponymous Tim. “We are getting farther and farther away from knowing where our food comes from; so many people come here from the city and they need this.”
Tim’s has been in business for 25 years and farms 65 acres of pumpkins for visitors to prowl with wheelbarrows to find those perfect Halloween gourds. Since they don’t charge admission they don’t keep track of the number of visitors they get every year, but it is certainly in the thousands, Leubner said, with crowds continually increasing over the past four years.
“People realize it’s fun to come out and spend a few hours, and $20 goes a long way here,” Leubner added. “We just try to be simple and authentic, and I think it’s worked for us.”
Tim’s officially opened on Labor Day weekend, and will not close until Halloween is over.
“This is just a wonderful place,” said Marietta resident Peg Kronen, who comes to Tim’s every year to buy pumpkins, not just for herself but to bring to her out-of-state family members as well. “There’s nothing like watching suburbia come to the country.”
Tim’s is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pumpkin patch is busiest on weekends, and the busiest of those are the first two weekends in October, Leubner said. To avoid the peak crowds, go before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m., or on a weekday.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Skaneateles Press. He can be reached at [email protected].
