Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch

Casual pumpkin farm and shop offering free hayrides, kids' slides and U-pick berries.

Rating breakdown

Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 131 Google reviews. Here is how those reviews break down by star rating:

What to expect at Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch

Based on its listing, Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch offers u-pick pumpkin patch and hayride. Here is what each of those typically involves, and what to plan for:

U-Pick Pumpkin Patches

True u-pick means walking into a growing field and cutting a pumpkin off the vine yourself. It is the version of the experience most people picture, and it is worth checking for specifically — a great many farms advertised as pumpkin patches are actually display patches, where pumpkins are trucked in and arranged on straw for photographs.

Hayrides

Hayrides run on a loop from the barn out to the pumpkin field, typically ten to twenty minutes, and at many farms they are the only way to reach the picking field at all. Some are free with admission, some are a few dollars a head, and at busy farms the wait can run half an hour on an October Saturday.

Visiting Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch

Like almost every pumpkin patch in the country, Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch runs on a compressed seasonal schedule — typically open from mid-to-late September through the first days of November, with the exact opening and closing dates shifting slightly year to year based on weather and how the pumpkin crop comes in. Hours are also prone to change week to week during the season: many farms extend their hours on the two or three weekends around mid-October, when demand peaks, and cut back to weekend-only or reduced hours toward either end of the season.

Because of that variability, the hours listed on this page — sourced from Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch's public business listing — are a strong starting point but not a guarantee. A farm can close early for a private event, shut the field after heavy rain, or sell out of pumpkins before the posted closing time. If the trip to Austin, MN is more than a few minutes for you, it is worth a quick call to confirm the farm is open and the field is accessible before you leave.

Payment practices are another area where it pays to check ahead. A meaningful share of pumpkin patches — especially smaller, family-run operations — are cash-only or limit card payments to the main farm store while wagon rides and field admission are collected in cash. Carrying some cash covers you even if Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch does take cards, and avoids an awkward trip back to the car at the gate.

If you are planning around young children, it is worth thinking about nap schedules and stamina rather than just the drive time — a two- or three-hour outing that includes a wagon ride, a walk through the field and a stop at a play area or animal pen tends to hold a toddler's attention better than a rushed visit squeezed between other errands. Groups with a wider age range often do best splitting up once on site, since older kids and adults can tackle a corn maze or longer walk while younger children stay closer to the main picking area.

Tips for a good visit

• Go on a weekday morning if you can. It is consistently the quietest time at almost any pumpkin patch, with shorter waits for wagon rides and easier parking.
• Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy. Pumpkin fields are working farmland, not paved lots, and they get soft fast after rain.
• Bring cash. Even farms that accept cards at the store sometimes run field admission and wagon rides as cash-only.
• Call ahead after wet weather. Field access and hayrides are the first things a farm closes when the ground is saturated.
• Check what's actually running that day. Corn mazes and haunted attractions in particular often open later in the season than the pumpkin patch itself, or run on a more limited schedule.
• Pack layers. Fall mornings can start cold and warm up fast once the sun is out over an open field, especially if you're there for a few hours.

Hours

Listed hours for Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch are below. As with any seasonal farm, treat these as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee — confirm directly if you are travelling any distance to visit.

Monday	3-6PM
Tuesday	3-6PM
Wednesday	3-6PM
Thursday	3-6PM
Friday	3-6PM
Saturday	12-6PM
Sunday	12-6PM

Getting to Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch

Farmer John's Pumpkin Patch is located at 90537 273rd St, Austin, MN, 55912. Use the Get directions button on this page to route from your current location in Google Maps, or the map below to see exactly where the farm sits relative to nearby towns.

As with most pumpkin patches, parking is typically in a grass field rather than a paved lot, so allow a few extra minutes on busy weekends for staff or volunteers to direct traffic. If you are relying on a GPS app rather than the link on this page, search the farm name directly rather than just the street address — rural addresses sometimes route to the wrong gate or an adjacent property.

Frequently asked questions

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