Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze Near Alexandria, MN: The Last Fall Farm Weekend Is Oct. 22–25
Fall farm season near Alexandria ends soon: Country Blossom Farm's outdoor activities close after Sunday, October 25. Here's how to catch the corn maze, the pumpkin patch, and the cider donuts before they do — plus a second farm near Osakis and a plan for the rest of the weekend.
Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze Near Alexandria, MN: The Last Fall Farm Weekend Is Oct. 22–25
Here is the deadline most families miss: the fall farm season near Alexandria does not run until Halloween. At Country Blossom Farm, the area's main apple orchard and pumpkin patch, the outdoor farm activities close after Sunday, October 25. The last full weekend to do the corn maze, the pumpkin patch, and the jumping pillow with your kids is Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, October 25, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
After that, the farm switches to winter hours starting Saturday, October 31 — the store and bakery stay open Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the farm activities are done for the year. So if a fall farm day is on your family's list, this coming weekend is the trip. This guide covers both real options near Lake Miltona, what each one actually offers, and how to build a cabin weekend around them.
Country Blossom Farm: The Main Event, Southwest of Alexandria
Country Blossom Farm (1951 Englund Rd SW, Alexandria) is the farm most Alexandria families mean when they say "the pumpkin patch." It is an apple orchard first, with a full lineup of kids' activities built around it, a bakery, and a gift shop. Explore Alexandria put its MEA Days event — October 15–18 — on the area calendar this past weekend, and the farm stays open Thursday through Sunday for one more weekend after it.
What there is to do
The farm's own list of outdoor attractions:
- A 7-acre corn maze — big enough that younger kids should go in with an adult and a plan, not just optimism
- A massive corn pit and a giant jumping pillow, the two stops kids tend to talk about on the drive home
- Tall tire mountain, a pedal cart track, bazooka ball, a bouncy animal farmyard, swings and slides
The honest way to plan it: this is a half-day, not a one-hour stop. Groups that rush it spend the whole visit saying no to the next thing. Arrive in the morning, let the kids burn through the active stuff first, and do the maze before lunch rather than after — October afternoons get short, and a 7-acre maze at dusk with tired kids is a different sport.
The bakery is the adult reason to go
The store and bakery sell farm-to-fork baked goods: cookies, donuts, hand pies, take-and-bake sweet and savory pies, and crisps. The farm presses its own apple cider, in both a fresh non-alcoholic version and hard cider varieties made with fruit grown on the farm. There is also a gift shop with apparel, jams, and home decor.
For a cabin weekend, the bakery run is the strategic move: a take-and-bake pie is dessert for twelve people with zero dishes beyond a pie plate, and a jug of fresh cider covers the kids and the cooler at once.
One correction before you go: no u-pick apples this year
Most write-ups of this farm — including older ones still ranking online — talk about picking your own apples. Not in 2026. The farm's own site says it plainly: due to hail damage in 2026, u-pick apples are not offered this year. Pre-picked apples are available September through November, and the orchard grows more than 10 varieties, so you still leave with apples — you just pick them off a table instead of a tree.
The pumpkin patch is separate from the apple situation: the farm's patch opens in mid-to-late September and runs until the pumpkins sell out. "Until sold out" is doing real work in that sentence in the last week of the season, so if a carving pumpkin is the point of the trip, go early in the weekend rather than Sunday afternoon, and call ahead — (320) 334-1620 — if you want to confirm what's left.
Erickson's Petting Zoo Near Osakis: The Animal Option
If your group skews younger, or the kids care more about animals than mazes, the second option is Erickson's Petting Zoo (11890 Hope Rd SE, Osakis), east of Alexandria near Osakis. It is a working farmstead — the family describes it as a decorated 100-year-old farmstead — with a large variety of animals and birds to feed and pet, big playgrounds, and pony rides (check ahead on pony rides; the pony ring travels to festivals some weekends).
Its fall program is built for the season:
- A tractor-and-trolley ride out to the corn maze and the pick-your-own pumpkin patch
- Pumpkins, squash, and gourds to choose from, plus straw bales and corn shocks if your porch at home needs fall decorating
- Playgrounds and animal time filling the rest of the visit
Hours for fall weekends vary and the farm runs group and school visits by appointment on weekdays, so treat this one as a call-first stop: (320) 762-0184, or check ericksonspettingzoo.com before you drive over. From Lake Miltona, Osakis is the far side of Alexandria — combine it with a town errand rather than making it a standalone trip, and it fits a weekend easily.
How to Build the Weekend Around the Farm
A fall farm day works best as the anchor of one day, not the whole weekend. Here is the shape that works from a base on Lake Miltona:
Friday: Arrive, do the grocery run in Alexandria on the way in, and keep the evening at the cabin — fireplace, sauna, and an early night. Saturday at a farm with twelve people goes better when nobody starts it tired.
Saturday: Country Blossom Farm in the morning while the kids are fresh and the bakery case is full. Back at the cabin for a late lunch, then the afternoon on the lake or on a trail — our hiking guide for the Alexandria area covers the nearby options, including Lake Carlos State Park. Carve the pumpkins on the deck before dinner, while there is still light.
Sunday: The slow morning. If your group is animal-focused and skipped Erickson's, Sunday is the day to call and check its hours for a shorter visit on the way toward home. Otherwise: one more sauna, a big breakfast, and the drive home with a pie in the trunk.
Feeding the crew: Cook the big meals at the cabin and let the farm bakery handle dessert. If the group wants one meal out, our Alexandria restaurants guide covers the downtown options that can seat a group of twelve.
What to Bring (and Wear) for a Late-October Farm Day
Late October in Douglas County is not early October. Plan for it:
- Boots or shoes you don't mind muddying. Corn mazes and pumpkin patches are fields. After any rain, they are muddy fields.
- Layers, hats, and gloves for the kids. The corn pit and jumping pillow keep them moving, but the trolley ride and the maze are standing-around time in the wind.
- A bag or box for the trunk. Pumpkins, squash, a pie, and a jug of cider roll around a trunk for the whole drive back to the cabin if you don't give them a container.
- Cash or card flexibility, and patience at the bakery counter. The last weekend of the season is a popular weekend. The line moves, and the donuts are why you're in it.
Why Base on Lake Miltona for This Weekend
The farm is the day trip; the lake is the weekend. Legendary Log Cabin sits on Lake Miltona, a short drive from Alexandria, and it is set up for exactly this group and this season:
- Sleeps up to 12 across 4 bedrooms, so the whole crew — grandparents included — stays in one building
- A full kitchen sized for group cooking, which is how a take-and-bake pie and a farm-stand haul turn into dinner
- A private cedar sauna and a stone fireplace for the cold end of an October day outside
- A game room with a pool table for the evening after the pumpkins are carved
One practical note: the cabin has a 4-night minimum stay, which suits a long fall weekend — arrive Thursday or Friday, do the farm on its Thursday–Sunday schedule without rushing, and still get a full lake day in.
FAQ
When does the pumpkin patch close near Alexandria, MN?
At Country Blossom Farm, outdoor farm activities — including the pumpkin patch and corn maze — run through Sunday, October 25, 2026, open Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. After that the farm moves to winter hours (store and bakery only, Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The patch itself runs until pumpkins sell out, so the last weekend can sell down.
Can you pick your own apples at Country Blossom Farm in 2026?
No. Due to hail damage, the farm is not offering u-pick apples in 2026. Pre-picked apples — more than 10 varieties grown in its orchard — are available September through November.
How big is the corn maze at Country Blossom Farm?
Seven acres, per the farm. It also has a corn pit, a giant jumping pillow, a pedal cart track, bazooka ball, a tall tire mountain, swings, and slides.
Is there a petting zoo near Alexandria, MN?
Yes — Erickson's Petting Zoo at 11890 Hope Rd SE in Osakis, east of Alexandria. In fall it runs a corn maze and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch reached by a tractor-and-trolley ride, alongside its animals, playgrounds, and pony rides. Call (320) 762-0184 or check its website for fall weekend hours before driving over.
What else is there to do on a fall weekend near Lake Miltona?
Hiking at Lake Carlos State Park and on the Central Lakes Trail, fall fishing on Lake Miltona, and dinner in downtown Alexandria all fit the same weekend. The farm day is best as one anchor day, with the lake and the cabin filling the rest.
Where should a family stay for a fall farm weekend near Alexandria?
On the lake, in a cabin that fits the whole group. Legendary Log Cabin on Lake Miltona sleeps 12, with a full kitchen, a sauna, a fireplace, and a game room — and Alexandria's farms, trails, and restaurants are a short drive away.
One Weekend Left
After October 25, the maze gets mowed down, the jumping pillow deflates, and fall in Alexandria turns into waiting for ice. If the pumpkin patch was on your family's fall list this year, next weekend is the last chance to cross it off.
Check availability and book direct at legendarylogcabin.com — direct booking skips the marketplace service fees, and the last farm weekend of the season is exactly the kind of weekend that books out first.