Field Trips and Groups

General Information: Fruit Ridge Hayrides offers horse drawn hayrides/sleigh rides year round for groups. Our huge Belgian draft horses, Zeke and Zoey, pull the wagon from the barn, down through the woods and back up through our apple orchard. The ride usually last about one hour and can be combined with a one hour campfire either before or after the ride. The wagon holds 20-30 people and is wheel chair accessible. The sleigh holds 10 people. Rides are offered during daylight hours only and they do depend on the weather. (Zeke and Zoey don’t like to be out in the rain any more than we do). If the trails are too wet or icy for the horses, you will be notified and your party will be rescheduled. Please see Directions for a printable map. Contact Kirk or Nancy for reservations at (616)887-5052 or E-Mail Us!

Helpful hints for groups: *Dress appropriately for the weather. It is often cooler out here in the country. *Boots or rubbers are suggested, as this is a farm with horses and livestock. *Please leave dogs and other pets at home. *Collect all fees for your group ahead of arrival and pay with one check if possible. This will allow for maximum time for your group to enjoy the activities. *Have your group arrive ½ hour ahead of your scheduled hayride. Your one hour will begin at the scheduled time, so the ride may be shortened if we have to wait for late comers.

Hours and Pricing: Fall Harvest Festival (September 13 thru November 2, 2008) Open Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 12-9pm, and Sunday 12-5pm for all activities. Reservations not required. For groups of 20 people or more, a reservation is recommended, especially on Friday night, so that we can plan ahead and keep your wait to a minimum. There will be one wagon available on Friday evening. There will be 2-4 wagons available on Saturday and Sunday. Hayrides end at dark. The corn maze is open after dark. The hayride will last about 40 minutes. Hayrides will not run if the trails are too wet and slippery, so call ahead with any questions. Hayride $6.00 per person, corn maze $6.00 per person or both activities for $10.00 per person. Pig train $3.00 per child, pony rides $3.00 per child, *NEW* Fire engine ride $3.00 per child or $8.00 for all three activities. Campfire is free. Call ahead to order fresh apple cider or donuts for your group (prices to be determined). See Fall Harvest Festival for other activities and pricing information. Monday-Thursday 5-9pm we have the corn maze, hayrides and the campfire available for groups. Reservations required. 20 person minimum. Hayride $6.00 per person, corn maze $6.00 per person or both activities for $10.00 per person. Campfire $25.00 per group.

Throughout the year (excluding Fall Harvest Festival): Reservations required. One hour hayride $5.00 per person ($100.00 minimum). One hour sleigh ride $10.00 per person ($100.00 minimum). One hour campfire $25.00 per group. Farm animals to pet, picnic area and hot dog forks provided at no charge.

School Groups: During September and October each year, Fruit Ridge Hayrides offers fun filled educational tours for school children. Our tours last 1-2 hours. Each guest will be charged $5.00. One teacher from each class will be admitted for free. You may bring a picnic lunch to eat at our picnic area. Fresh apple cider may be purchased by the gallon (cups will be provided). Apples, pumpkins, squash and other fall harvest items may be purchased in our market. Our petting zoo is licensed by the USDA. Our wagons are wheel chair accessible. Please see Directions for a printable map. Contact Kirk or Nancy to reserve a spot for your class at (616)887-5052 or via E-Mail. Tour #1 includes a tractor drawn hayride around the farm and through the woods (approximately 30 min.), with a stop in the orchard to pick an apple and learn about the crops we grow on our farm. The children will have time to interact with our friendly farm animals in the petting zoo and play in the fresh out door air. Tour #2 (recommended for ages 10 and up) is a self guided tour through our 15 acre corn maze (approximately 40-60 min.). The children will learn fun facts about the farm related maze theme. They will also be able to pick an apple in the orchard and enjoy interacting with our farm animals in the petting zoo.

Helpful Hints for School Groups: *Please arrive on time. If you are late, your time at the farm may be shortened depending on our schedule. *Dress children appropriately with warm coats, boots or rubbers. It is usually cooler out here in the country. *Chaperones/teachers must accompany the children during all activities. *Collect all fees for your group before arriving and pay with one check if possible. *In case of rainy weather, we will call you to reschedule your group. If the weather looks questionable, please call ahead to see what the weather is at our farm. *We may combine classes of children from different schools in order to accommodate everyone. *Picnic tables are available for everyone to share. Feel free to bring blankets to sit on in case the picnic tables are full.