Fall activities mark October at Lattin Farms

FALLON - Fall Festival activities and the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" corn maze at Lattin Farms are open to the public for the month of October.

Festival activities are available from 5-8 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays. Visitors can take a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, build a life-size scarecrow or let the children enjoy a train ride or a trip through Critterville. People also canpick their own raspberries and tomatoes.

The maze is open on Fridays from 4-8 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-

8 p.m., and costs $7 for adults and $5 for children

14 and younger. Groups are by appointment only.

Lattin Farms owner Rick Lattin said this year's maze is in the shape of the food pyramid with several of those foods drawn out. He said it is in support of the United States Department of Agriculture initiative "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food."

"We feel that there is a real resurgence in this country of going back to simpler times with some of the problems there are with industrial agriculture," Lattin said.

According to the USDA website, the initiative is meant to help create new economic opportunities by better connecting consumers with local producers. Additionally, it's intended to spread awareness of where food comes from. Lattin said his farm is the perfect location to support the effort.

"We grow food for the community," Lattin said. "When you come to our farm, you are experiencing a real working farm."

Lattin added this year's corn maze was featured on the White House blog which displayed a digital photo of the corn maze on Sept. 8 and praised Lattin Farms for contributing to the USDA initiative.

"It's been getting national attention," Lattin said.

Lattin said the weather this year may prevent Lattin Farms from having its Corn Party in December when community members are welcome to pick corn from the maze, but he said either way the maze will go to good use.

"Nothing gets wasted on an organic farm," Lattin said. "It either gets harvested or it gets tilled into the soil."

Lattin Farms is at 1955 McLean Road, 867-3750.

For information, visit www.lattinfarms.com or www.usda.gov.