Legends of the Fall

A cornucopia of seasonal sights and smells highlights Lake Metroparks Farmpark’s Corn and Pumpkin Harvest Weekend, when guests will decorate pumpkins, harvest veggies, and make dolls out of corn husks. They’ll also gather apples and press them into cider. It’s all part of a program that’ll show you just how arduous life was back in the day -- when people performed outdoor tasks for survival, not for fun. Still, “People are interested in going outside to see the foliage and enjoy the crisp weather,” says park educator Andy Baker.

In addition to all the old-school harvest machinery on display, big-ass draft horses will plow fields with visitors behind the reins. Plus, little ones can get lost in a corn maze and see how far they can roll a pumpkin in the game area. The event wraps with bowls of hearty harvest soup made up entirely of the day’s bounty. “It’s [all about] that Aha! moment, when people get an idea of the amount of energy it takes to process food,” says Baker. “It’s just amazing to get them to see what they can accomplish.”
Oct. 13-14, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 2007