Meadow View Farm – Corn Maze & Lil’ Red Shed (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)

**PLEASE NOTE: MEADOW VIEW FARM HAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED**

This week, we checked out a really great place up in Southwick, Massachusetts, called Meadow View Farm. I had been seeing this flyer floating around Facebook so I decided we had to check it out! 

The corn maze and activities are open from Wednesday to Sunday. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday. We ended up visiting on a Wednesday afternoon. It was a little chilly this week, but we bundled up nice and warm! We arrived around 3:30 p.m., and they closed at 6 p.m. Our intention was to stay until 5 p.m., I wanted to head out before it got too cold! 

The corn maze and activities are located at the back of the farm, past the nursery. Do not mistake the entrance to the store with the road to the activities, like I did. We ended up circling around so we could find the correct entrance. Once we found it, we followed the road until we came to the parking lot. 

There is a small building where you pay your entrance fee. It is important to note that this is a cash only outing! Please come prepared! 

The admission costs for this activity are super reasonable! During the weekdays it is $5 per person for over the age of 3. Under 3 is free. On weekends, the cost is only a dollar more at $6 a person. Under 3 is still free. They also offer family plans if you are going with more than four people. 

Once you pay the admission fee, you enter into the courtyard which is FULL of activities. There are swings, slides, trucks to climb, pumpkins to pick, a hayride, two corn mazes, a teepee, a nature trail, and so much more! 

The Lil’ Red Shed is a small building with snacks and drinks for purchase, as well as other souvenirs and trinkets. This is open weekdays and weekends. On weekends only, the ice cream and moo-nut shack is also open. 

Throughout the whole courtyard, there are pumpkins on display for purchase. There are a LOT of pumpkins! And some of the most unusual shapes and colors I have ever seen. They have red carts available so you can load up with pumpkins! You can also pick pumpkins from the patch when you go on the hayride (which I’ll get to shortly). The prices vary by size, but they are very reasonable! 

On site, they only have port-a-potties for your bathroom needs. There are no actual bathrooms or changing tables. This is a farm! 

As for the fun activities, there is so much to do for little kids! First, they have this playscape with four swings, a rock wall and a slide! 

When did you learn how to climb a rock wall this big?? 

There are three different trucks to climb on. Two are wooden play structures, and one is an actual John Deere tractor!

The wheel is bigger than him!! 

There is also a big sand pit with tires and slides to play in. We tried to limit our time in the sand… 

Fortunately, there was a better digging alternative – Corn!! I love corn boxes! 

So does he! 

They also had these smaller buckets of corn to play with! 

There were even more kid activities: including cornhole and bowling, and this spiderweb! 

He didn’t quite grasp cornhole. But that’s okay, it’s a family favorite so he has many years to learn that the rules do not allow for climbing on the board and sticking the beanbag in the hole… 

One of the coolest things they have on site is this Native American Ceremonial Design Tee Pee! It was pretty incredible, inside and out! I’ve never been inside one before! 

As I mentioned, we also got to take a hayride! This was a great one too – it was one of the longer rides we had been on and it was such a beautiful farm! It took us right to the pumpkin patch, where we could pick a pumpkin. Since I already have like 30 pumpkins at home, I was good and did not buy one!

I tell him “sit down next to the pumpkin!” … he sits on it.  Okay, then. 

After our hayride and more time playing in the courtyard, we found out that the corn maze had a kiddie maze. We had to check that out!! 

The theme of the maze this year was pirate and Native American. They also featured a fun scavenger hunt! The larger corn maze was 2.5 miles! The kiddie maze was a much easier 0.3 miles- that I could handle! 

I was assured that the kiddie maze was very easy – and it honestly was! I like when I don’t get lost in the corn! 

Collecting rocks, again. Didn’t he do this at the last corn maze?? 

I kept him involved in the scavenger hunt though, so he ended up losing interest in the rocks. 

Once we gathered all the clues, we found the exit!

We were able to turn our clues in for a prize! 

This was a super cute idea to include in the corn maze! I really enjoyed the scavenger hunt! I think older kids will also like it, my two year old didn’t quite get it, but it at least kept him distracted from filling up mommy’s coat pocket with rocks! 

Just outside the corn maze they also have this 1/4 mile woodland trail walk. We decided to skip since it was getting cold, and late. 

Since it was nearing 5 p.m., we decided to play in the courtyard for a little bit and then we would head home… 

But this wouldn’t be a This Connecticut Mom adventure without something going terribly, terribly awry… What’s that you ask? How did a perfect afternoon go south?? 

I locked myself OUT OF MY CAR!!! 

So here I am stranded on a farm in Southwick Massachusetts, almost forty minutes from home. With a two year old. In the cold. My husband works over an hour away, my in-laws live almost as far away as I do, and I can’t think of anyone else to call. 

An hour and a half later, thanks to miscommunication by AAA (who clearly didn’t understand the fact that I was outside, in the cold, with a toddler), I was finally rescued. In the meantime, I have to give MAJOR props to the workers at Meadow View Farm. Not only did they help me get in touch with AAA (my wallet and AAA card were also in the car), they gave my child snacks and a drink, and the farmer stuck around after closing time while I waited for my in-laws to arrive.  The farmer also came back when AAA finally showed up to make sure I was okay.  

So, while we did have an awesome time here, and I would totally recommend this place to anyone, I also want people to know that the people working here are incredible! They basically made what could have been a really horrible evening, not so bad. For that, I want to tell everyone, you must go here!! Make sure you visit and patron this farm because they are great people and deserve your business!! 

This weekend is their last weekend of the season, so it will be your final chance to go check it out! 

This about sums it up…

 120 College Highway- Southwick, MA

Hours: Opens September 28, 2016 (seasonal) – Please check their website for opening day. Also, call for current conditions since they could change due to weather. 

OPEN Wednesday through Sunday (Closed Monday and Tuesdays) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Last Admission to the corn maze is 5 p.m.

Cost:

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: $5 per person (ages 3 and up) 

Saturday and Sunday: $6 per person (ages 3 and up)

Children Under 3 are FREE

Family Plan: 4 or more adults or children over the age of 3, save $1 per person. 

Features:

• Strollers may be tricky in some areas- we chose to leave ours in the car. 
• Large parking lot with plenty of available spaces
• Port a potties
• Cash Only
• Food for purchase 
• Wear comfortable shoes for walking and since you are on a farm! 
• Hayride
• Corn Maze