The pumpkin can come home for the front step. Another one can have a much shorter career, launched toward a target on a dump truck. At Smith Rock Ranch, autumn has room for both traditions.
David Keyte opens his 2023 fall video series with a visit to the pumpkin patch, corn maze and pumpkin cannon. It is an enthusiastic start to the season—and a good reminder to leave room for a few ridiculous things on the weekend.
Watch the original episode
Picking the right pumpkin can take a while
At Smith Rock Ranch, choosing a pumpkin is a good reason to start wandering. There is always another one a little farther along that seems worth considering. Take your time; the rest of the visit is not likely to become more serious.
The ranch is a working farm that welcomes visitors for seasonal fall activities. Before driving out, check its calendar and admission information. Different activities have their own ticket or token arrangements, and the farm’s activity guide helps you choose what to include.
The maze is part of the afternoon
The tour moves through the corn maze before heading for the launcher. Give that part of the visit enough time to be enjoyable. A maze is one of the few places where making a wrong turn can reasonably count as participating.
Go with the people you would enjoy getting a little turned around with. Wear shoes suited to farm paths, bring a layer and leave some flexibility in the schedule. The current maze page has the season’s details.
Now for the pumpkin cannon
At the launcher, David explains the objective: use a high-pressure air cannon to send a pumpkin toward the bullseye on a dump truck. Tokens are ready, the target is waiting and his enthusiasm requires very little elaboration.
This is the scene that gives the short film its flourish. A trip that began with picking out pumpkins suddenly includes a very different use for one. Follow the ranch staff’s instructions and give the activity the same good humor you would bring to a backyard game.
Leave a little of the day unplanned
You can build the visit around the patch, spend longer in the maze or make the cannon the highlight. Check the activity hours, bring water and leave time for whatever your group enjoys most. The farm’s visitor questions cover practical details before you go.
For a longer autumn adventure, our Redmond fall outing combines a later ranch visit with Haystack Reservoir and food in town. This shorter trip works just as well on its own: one pumpkin for home, a few stories from the maze and perhaps a new personal best at hitting a distant target.
Find another seasonal outing in Check It Out.
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