We couldn’t wait! On opening day, our family arrived at Johnson Farms Plants & Pumpkins. The boys held hands in a chain, tugging us toward all the fun that waited just beyond the admission counter.
I pointed out the train with colorful barrels as cars. Was that new? It was new! Was the barrel train included in admission? Yes!
It’s probably only fair to admit this year was our three-peat after two winning visits in 2024 and 2025. To us, the annual pumpkin patch question has never been “Where?” but “When are we going to Johnson Farms?”
I mean, it really puts the all in fall. . . Pumpkin patch. Corn maze. Hayride. Apple orchard. Farm animals. Apple cider and apple cider donuts. . . A pumpkin-eating beast, pig races, a paintball gallery and a whole harvest more.
What to Know Before You Go (2026)
- Purchase daily admission or season passes on the farm’s webpage. Ages two and under are free.
- Harvest fresh flowers in the U-Pick gardens. Farm guests may pay by the pound or stem at the exit.
- Plan for leisure. With so much included in admission and hayrides out to the corn maze, orchard, U-Pick gardens and pumpkin patch, choose a part of the day when your family can explore most every attraction.
- Stroller-friendly! Outdoor and indoor play areas are wide for easy access. You are welcome to bring strollers out to the pumpkin patch, corn maze, apple orchard or flower fields. Just keep in mind those areas are not paved, so the path may be bumpy or muddy.
- All highlighted activities below are included with admission. Concessions, flowers and paintball are available for an additional cost.
Tips
- Pack enough water for your visit. Concessions are available if you need a drink or snack.
- Dress in layers with comfortable, closed-toed shoes. Playing hard requires its own uniform, so choose play clothes and shoes for a day on your feet in the patch, orchard or wandering through the corn maze.
- Don’t let rain stop you. Johnson Farms offers plenty of covered and indoor activities, and a drizzly day can mean smaller crowds.
Weekend-Only Activities
- Pig Races: Cheer on your favorite pig at a race held at 11:00, 2:00 and 5:00.
- Pumpkin Cannon: Boom! The pumpkin cannon is fired at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30.
- Pumpkin Chomper: Watch a mechanical, dragon-like beast devour pumpkins at 11:15, 2:15 and 5:15.
Attractions
- Pumpkin Picking: Catch a hayride to the patch! Wander through the many shapes and sizes to find the one that’s “just right” for your porch, then twist it off the vine! Wheelbarrows are available.
- Apple Picking: What a harvest! With 5,000+ trees and many varieties (Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji…), the branches are heavy with sweet apples. The Red Delicious row we picked down was so long, our little group didn’t even make it to the end. Bags are available at admission and will be weighed at checkout.
- Corn Maze: Grab your boots and come get lost in our Dolly Parton themed corn maze! It’s a little bit country and way more fun than working 9 to 5!
- Concessions: Craving the tastes of fall? Johnson Farms serves favorites like apple cider and apple cider donuts (or pumpkin spice donuts), with kettle corn and caramel apples available on weekends. The food truck offers its own unique menu, including a donut dog, a corn dog dipped in pumpkin spice donut batter, with a jalapeño flavor available as well.
- New! Trike Track: For all ages! Pedal a trike out on the new track for a family race.
- Outdoor Play: Structures for little “pumpkins” and grown-up pickers will keep you on your feet. From the Bounce Corral with inflatable animals for child riders to pingpong and oversized lawn games in the loft of the Adventure Barn, there’s something for every family member. For the variety of outdoor play alone, the season passes are a great value.
- Corn Pits: Sensory fun! Two covered corn pits, one for younguns and one for older children, are available between the concessions and play structures.
- Trucks & Tractors: Littles will love climbing inside the Chalk (School) Bus to leave their creative mark or “driving” the Fire Engine and yellow John Deere crawler tractor.
- Jumping Pillows: Just past the loft barn, two large jumping pillows overlook the U-Pick gardens. Sand offers a soft surrounding as kids ages 3 and older bounce and run.
- Indoor Blow-Up Play Area: More than just bounce houses for kids, this barn offers bullseye and “ax throwing” along with children’s obstacle courses. It’s the perfect retreat if your visit includes a spell of dreary weather.
- Fall Gift Shop and Mums: Admission is not required for the gift shop, which is stocked with festive decor (including straw bales and corn stalks), delicious goods and children’s farm toys. That, of course, means anyone can purchase their locally famous mums or donuts, pending inventory. Mums are priced at $19.95 each (or $18.50 each for 3+). Chiefs fans should consider their Chiefs Blaze mum, red and yellow for $29.99.
See why this is our annual tradition? From stomping in the patch to licking sugar off your fingers after a warm apple cider donut, it’s a fall day to remember for the whole family. So, when are you going to Johnson Farms?
Ready for even more fall fun? Check out KC Parent’s full Pumpkin Patch Guide for the best pumpkin patches around Kansas City, plus everything you need to plan your next fall outing. While you’re there, enter to win a family 4-pack of tickets to Johnson Farms and other local pumpkin patches!