Every fall the leaves begin to change, the temperatures drop and that means one thing to families across Wisconsin. Its time to head out to area pumpkin patches to pick that perfect pumpkin.
Doug Wilke, the owner of Wilke's Xtra Sweet Acres in Wausau says fall is his favorite time of year. That’s because each year, hundreds of families enjoy the fall season by being outdoors.
Whether going on a hay ride, enjoying a pumpkin patch, or letting the kids play with the toys, there seems to be something for everybody, including a large corn maze.
The maze covers 10 acres, and the Wilke's say its not quite as easy to complete as some may think, and that’s what makes it fun for the hundreds of people who stop out at the farm.
With each passing year, the farm sees the number of visitors increase. Doug Wilke says, "Crowds are alot bigger. People are looking for entertainment close to home. This is a great opportunity for them to get outside."
Visitors can come out and pick their favorite produce, including some pretty big pumpkins.
The farm has grown more and more each year, even adding on a small animal petting zoo. An attraction some of the younger visitors are drawn to.
Having happy visitors, especially young children, is what the Wilke's say makes all their hard work worth it. “It feels great to see those kids smile and when they go pick pumpkins, they're just amazed."
The farm is open for visitors through Halloween. The Wilkes say that in October, they have a haunted Halloween theme. That is open to children of all ages.
