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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Take a family trip to the country on Open Gate Farm Tour

The annual Open Gate Farm Tour, sponsored by Penn State Extension, Lehigh County, will take place 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 16

Visits to the sites are free. The farm tour will take place rain or shine.

1. Venture Farms, 5728 Fritzinger Road, Germansville

Venture Farms is a self-contained horse farm that also grows their own hay. They board, lease, do pony parties, trail rides and breed some Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, mini horses and donkeys.

2. Heidel Hollow Farm, 7419 Saegersville Road, Slatington

Fourth and fifth generations of the Fink family invite visitors to their farm in Heidelberg Township. A computerized big bale hay processing system will be demonstrated; 1,200 pound bales are reprocessed down into 40 or 80 pound bales. Mike Fink grows more than 1,000 acres of vegetables including broccoli, sweet corn, tomatoes and pumpkins for local stores. Children can do the hay maze, make a scarecrow and test their knowledge with the Wheel of Ag. The Rural Preservation Association will have a food court featuring locally-grown food and a bake sale.

3. Eight Oaks Craft Distillers, 7189 Route 309, New Tripoli

Eight Oaks Craft Distillers is a farm distillery, growing all its own grains such as corn, wheat, barley and rye to make hand-crafted vodka, gin, rye, whiskey and bourbon. Visitors will be taken on a walking tour of the fields as well as the production area.

4. Blue Mountain Vineyards and Cellars, 7627 Grape Vine Drive, New Tripoli

Blue Mountain Vineyards is a 50-acre vineyard and winery and have been producing award-winning wines for over 25 years. Sample the wines and grab a snack. There will be crafts available for the children.

5. Rainbow Farm, 6707 Scholler Road, New Tripoli

Rainbow Farm is a 29-acre grass fed beef, pork, chicken and Thanksgiving turkey farm. They will be having walking tours of their rotationally grazed pastures to see all of the farm animals.

6. Subarashii Kudamono, 5452 Holstein Drive, Kempton

Subarashii Kudamono are growers of Gourmet Asian Pears, specializing in unique cultivars of Asian Pears. Take a guided tour of the farm and operation.

7. Willow Haven Farm, 7686 Herber Road, New Tripoli

Willow Haven Farm is an organic vegetable farm with an on-farm market and a CSA (community supported agriculture). The farm also raises chickens, pigs, sheep and cows.

8. Weathered Vineyards, 7670 Carpet Road, New Tripoli

Weathered Vineyards is a 26-acre farm/vineyard with five acres of cultivated grapes, 10 acres of soybean and the rest remaining forested. They will be giving tours of the winery and vineyard, explaining why and how they use the trellis system to ensure healthy grapes.

9. Lyon Creek Farm, 3502 Blacksmith Road, New Tripoli

At Lyon Creek Farm, four generations farm hay, corn, wheat, soybeans, sweet corn, produce, pumpkins, winter squash and unique fall ornamentals on the Seidel Family Farm. There will be a guided walking tour, pick-your-own pumpkin patch, farm equipment, farm market, antique tractors and livestock to see. Children’s activities and refreshments.

10. Gress Mountain Ranch, 3264 Highland Road, Orefield

The Gress Mountain Ranch is a public charity, housing large, small and exotic animals in a sanctuary. It is a safe haven and place of recovery for over 70 permanent animal residents. The animals become therapy animals and help people improve their self-worth.

11. Grim’s Orchard and Family Farms, 9941 Schantz Road, Breinigsville

Grim’s Orchard operates on 100 acres, which includes a 5-acre corn maze, 25 acres of pick-your-own orchard, 20 acres of pick-your-own pumpkins, strawberry patch, gourds, jack-be-littles and over 10 different types of squash.

12. Manito Equestrian Center, 2160 N. Cedar Crest Blvd., South Whitehall

Manito is a 60-acre horse farm and riding school, also the site of Manito Life Center, a nonprofit organization offering equine-assisted activities to individuals experiencing trauma and children and adults with a variety of special needs.

13. Haines Mill Museum, 3600 Haines Mill Road, South Whitehall

Haines Mill has stood on the Cedar Creek since Colonial times (circa 1850). Haines Mill Museum offers a trip into the world of technology that supported early farm life.

14. Boots and Saddle Riding Club, 2850 Fish Hatchery Road, Allentown

This unique riding club was organized in 1938 as a nonprofit corporation for the sole purpose of promoting closer fellowship among horse lovers. Boots and Saddle is managed and maintained by its members and offers 10 green pastures, miles of beautiful riding trails including a bridle path, indoor ring, outdoor rings and horse shows.

15. The Seed Farm, 5854 Vera Cruz Road, Emmaus

The Seed Farm is a nonprofit, educational and working farm providing new farmer training program and farm business incubator on 42 acres of preserved farmland.

16. Kraussdale Alpacas, 5169 Kraussdale Road, East Greenville

Kraussdale Alpacas farm raises alpacas and produces yarn from their fiber. Visitors can browse through the Alpaca Boutique to see all the different ways alpaca fiber can be used. Visitors can also touch the animals to feel the softness of their fiber and learn about alpacas.

17. Pappy’s Orchard, 2576 Cassel Road, Coopersburg

Pappy’s Orchard has been serving the community with pride for five generations. The orchard is home to rows of beautiful apple and stone fruit trees, fruit and vegetable patches and fruit bushes.

18. Marwell Dairy Farm, 2072 Cassel Road, Coopersburg

Marwell is a dairy, crop and hog operation with 224 owned acres and they farm 1,000 more acres. This farm is a partnership between Robert Gehman and his two sons Barry and Bob Jr. and Barry’s son, Wendell. They raise corn, soybeans, wheat, rye, hay and pumpkins. They also have a peach orchard.

19. Hausman’s Fruit Farm, 2824 Limeport Pike, Coopersburg

Hausman’s is family owned and operated, currently raising the fifth generation of farmers. Take a free hayride to pick pumpkins. There will be baked goods, apples, canned fruit, jams, jellies, pumpkins, fall décor and mums.

20. Flint Hill Farm Educational Center, 1922 Flint Hill Road, Coopersburg

Flint Hill Farm is a 26-acre farm offering hands-on contact with farm animals, woods walk tours, horse-drawn hay rides and demonstrations by the farrier in the blacksmith shop. There will be a food table staffed by students from the LCTI culinary program and their instructors.

21. Burnside Plantation, 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem

Burnside Plantation is a restored historic farm that was established in 1748 as the first privately owned home of the Bethlehem Moravians named James and Mary Burnside. Operated by Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, the plantation features the original farmhouse, barns and farm buildings dating to the mid-1800s and one of only two operating horse-powered wheels in the country. There will be guided tours of the farmhouse and barn, gardens, heritage apple orchard and activities such as colonial cooking demonstrations, colonial games and crafts and more.

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For more information on Open Gate and other Penn State Extension, Lehigh County programs, call 610-391-9840.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO