Portland Spoke – The Official Blog of Travel Portland

Catapult! At Liepold Farms

One of my favorite signs of autumn: seeing pumpkin show up on menus. Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin pie and pumpkin milkshakes are some of the season’s tastiest treats.

You can also head out into the country to pick one yourself, or just get a taste of harvest fun. This pumpkin “catapult” I’m attempting in the photo is at Liepold Farms, one of many in Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory, just a short drive from Portland. Here’s an extended list with descriptions.

Other places that are perfect for enjoying the fall harvest season and Halloween spirit this month are St. Helens, where the town becomes “Halloweentown” every weekend; Sauvie Island’s Pumpkin Patch; and the Hood River Fruit Loop.

What’s a favorite family outing among Portlanders in autumn?  Going to the Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island!  In October, the Pumpkin Patch has the largest supply of pumpkins in Oregon.  This is a great place to find that perfect Charlie Brown pumpkin.  And there are lots of things to do while you’re there, including free hayrides, a petting zoo, $2 rides on the cow train and a haystack pyramid.

There’s a covered picnic area, so pack a lunch or grab a snack at the patio cafe.  The MAiZE  is a 5-acre cornfield maze and this year’s design is a tribute to our local NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers.   There’s a separate Haunted Field of Screams maze for those who want to get stalked in the corn … (Might not be suitable for children ages 6 and under and easily scared adults like me.) (more…)