Redmond Offers Extreme Pumpkin Patch Experience

Redmond’s Serre Farm Pumpkin Patch seems inspired by Wal-Mart’s business model to incorporate as many gimmicks possible to offer shoppers a one-stop experience: in this case it’s everything Autumn.

That isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, it just seems uniquely American. Serre Farms sits maybe ten minutes east of 520 on a beautiful stretch of rural highway known to locals as the scenic back road to Snoqualmie Falls.

The Pumpkin Patch is unmistakable from the roadway, as are the hordes of children and parents that flock here on sunny fall weekends.

Serre Farms, not unlike other rural U-Pick Pumpkin Patch Experiences offers the now-requisite Corn Maze. In addition to the Corn Maze, pumpkins, occasional sunflower, gourds and home-made jams, Serre Farms features a medieval-inspired, ground-mounted slingshot toss. For $2, eager participants can fling pumpkins into a series of target bins maybe 35 yards down wind. Pumpkins as weapons in this context was a first for Seattlest and we were grateful for the enlightenment.

We were kind of hoping for some sort of free cider pick-me-up to top off the whole visit but considered the Pumpkin Slingshot to more than compensate for the lack of hot powdered drink. The Orgy of Autumn Awesomeness that is Serre Farms, combined with the fall colors heading east from Redmond make it your one-stop Autumn Headquarters.

$.20 a pound for regular pumpkins, freak squashes, etc., are $0.40 a pound, open daily.

Directions: Take SR 520 east to Redmond and follow exit signs to SR 202 East and Sammamish. Three miles east of Redmond on SR 202 turn right onto Sahalee Way., then go south (right) one block (.15 mile) on Sahalee Way, then west (right) .25 mile on NE 50th to Serres Farm at 20306 NE 50th St.

Photo by jkerssen courtesy of Seattlest Flickr Pool