A child cautiously raised a cup toward the llama behind a fence as it poked its head out and buried its nose in the offering of animal feed, happily munching away.

It was the first weekend of pumpkin patch season at the Frog Pond Farm, and dozens of families with children had flocked to this homestead in Wilsonville, Oregon, to see scores of animals, from miniature zebu cattle to rabbits, for fall festivities.

“Pumpkin patch season has evolved into our busiest season by far,” said Justin Timm, a second-generation owner of the farm that is about a 30-minute drive south of Portland. He estimates that about 20,000 to 30,000 people visit their farm from September through November. Visitors regularly come from as far south as Coos Bay and as far north as Tacoma, Washington, he said.

The Frog Pond Farm, like dozens of other local farms in the Portland metro area, spends weeks prepping for this fall blitz and tries to market itself with unique attractions that set it apart from its competitors. The farm bills itself as one of the only pumpkin patches in the country with a pack of free-roaming llamas that casually walk between rows of orange gourds.

Elanai Hang, 6, was entranced by the novelty of the animals around her.

Margot, a goat, is the farm’s unofficial four-legged greeting committee. She ambled up to Elanai for pets. “Wow, they’re very hard and up top they’re a bit soft,” Elanai said, feeling Margot’s horns.

What made the farm exciting? “You could enjoy the fall day and enjoy the animals, and you could enjoy the fun,” Elanai said.

Denise Castañon, editor of the website and magazine PDX Parent, said pumpkin patch season has become an annual tradition for many local families because of its nostalgic appeal to parents and children.

“If you’re living in a city, you really don’t get to be on a farm that often,” Castañon said. Kids get to see animals and experience the winding acres of corn mazes, and the activities can fill up an entire day, she added. “It’s a really fun thing to do with your family in the fall and it celebrates the change in season.”

Pumpkin patches offer affordable fun, with options for every family

There are so many pumpkin patches available locally that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. That’s why PDX Parent has compiled a comprehensive list with a handy map of over 30 farms that its staff have visited.

Castañon said there’s something for everyone based on each family’s needs — such as Bushue’s Family Farm and Nursery, which features a mini corn maze so parents won’t lose their small children in an intimidating labyrinth of corn husks.

Affordability is always a focus for the publication, Castañon said.

“We note places that [have] free admission and then if you want to pay extra you can, but you don’t have to,” Castañon said. “That’s a great way to save a little bit of money.”

Jay Ortiz, mother of Elanai Hang, brought her daughters and niece to the Frog Pond Farm. Ortiz, a single mother, said she tries to save money by not eating out too much when they do family outings.

“I definitely do feel that for $25 it is worth it,” Ortiz said of the all-in pass that the Frog Pond Farm charges for admission. The kids each received a cup full of food pellets to feed the animals. “You get to play in the bouncy house, they have a new section where you get your face painted … this farm is pretty big.”

About 10 miles north from Portland on Sauvie Island, The Pumpkin Patch markets itself as one of the oldest family-run farms. The farm, the sunflower fields and animal barns, is free for everyone.

“We really like to be an affordable farm for families and people around Portland,” said Jade Miller, a third-generation owner of the farm her grandparents started in 1967. “We just want you to enjoy the farm.”

At its peak, The Pumpkin Patch can welcome up to 10,000 people a day in mid-October, making the congestion across the Wapato Bridge a bit of a headache, according to Miller. The Pumpkin Patch also grows about 2 million pounds of pumpkins each year on 25 acres of farmland, making it one of the largest suppliers of pumpkins to Albertsons in Oregon, she said.

Visitors only need to pay a $2 fee to take a 20-minute hayride to the fields where they can pick a pumpkin straight off the vine.

“If you can carry it, it’s only $15,” Miller said of the price cap on pumpkins sold to guests. “The coolest thing is we’ve had customers get 80-, 90-pound pumpkins out from our field.”

Teens get a first job while kids get a lesson

Pumpkin patches are more than a local attraction; they’re also an educational opportunity.

To help with the influx of families that descend on the Frog Pond Farm, the business hired a dozen teens for the fall season. Dressed in neon vests, they help with various tasks while getting on-the-job experience.

“It’s my first job, I really like it,” said Anilayah Diaz, a sophomore at North Marion High School. Diaz saw a hiring ad on social media and now works at the farm on weekends. Diaz sizes the pumpkins for price as she checks out customers. “I like the animals and all the families that come and I get to meet new people, it’s pretty cool.”

Farm manager Lindsey Davis hopes kids leave the farm’s 20-plus acres, home to animals from camels to emus, with a sense of wonder.

“I love sharing this farm with the community and our new hires,” Davis said. The teens learned during lunch breaks that the pigs will eat their leftover banana peels, she said. “It’s been amazing watching them experience the farm in a new way because I’m so used to it.”

Ivy Wang, 9, on the other hand, had already seen llamas at a zoo in Beijing and wasn’t too impressed. The corn maze, she said, was “too easy” in the 5 seconds it took for her to escape.

Nevertheless, she said she was having a blast with her best friend, Annie, as they ate apple cider donuts and fed the goats.

“It’s my first time,” Wang said of visiting the farm. “Of course I wanna come back again.”

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/26/oregon-pumpkin-patches-llamas-hayrides-portland-fall/