Kathy Romano’s Fall Activities List for 2020
Kathy’s 2020 FallActivities
1) Quiver Farm – Hatching at Home
I’m so excited for this fall activity!!! Quiver Farm in Pennsburg, PA, made adjustments during COVID in order to stay open. They are now offering the “Hatching at Home” program, which allows you to bring home chick or duck eggs to care for in the final days before they hatch.
Each week the farm has a new batch of eggs to be picked up. You can sign up to be sent home with an incubator, a dozen eggs, and a brooder box with everything you will need for the chicks or ducks after they hatch. You care for the eggs until the Friday before they hatch which consists of turning the eggs 3 times a day and adding water once a day in the evening. On Saturday and Sunday, you let them sit and stay warm. Then, on Monday or Tuesday, the eggs will hatch and you’ll enjoy the new hatchlings for the week. You don’t get to keep them though, the chicks and baby ducks need to be returned to the farm on Friday by 3pm.
The Facebook group, “Hatching at Home”, provides resources, advice and comments from others who are participating in the program. Quiver Farm says the chick/ducks are not euthanized. They go to local farmers on Friday afternoon, which is why they need to be returned by 3pm. There are no exceptions.
2) Terrarium Therapy – Virtual Pumpkin Planter Workshop
Terrarium Therapy, a plant workshop company, is offering in-person and virtual workshops for (socially distanced) fall festival fun. The signature Pumpkin Succulent Planter Workshop will be held at local breweries, wineries, and restaurants this fall.
New this year, Terrarium Therapy will be offering a Virtual Pumpkin Planter Workshop featuring a white ceramic pumpkin planter filled with succulents. In addition to the pumpkin, your experience includes a variety of succulents, soil, stone, and moss as well as live step-by-step instruction on Zoom. Kits for the virtual workshops are shipped directly to you at home.
Terrarium Therapy offers a number of workshops throughout the season that help grow your creativity and bury your stress. The company was created to provide a refreshing and positive environment to relax and connect with others through nature. Classes range in price from $35 to $63.
3) Scarecrow Making
If you’ve got kids, making a scarecrow is a great fall activity to do together as a family!
- Floral & Hardy is having a Scarecrow Festival on September 19th and 20th. Families can sign up to build a life-size scarecrow. Each group will be assigned their own station in order to remain socially distanced. You’ll be provided with a wooden post, stuffing, burlap and accessories. However, you need to bring clothing for the scarecrow with you. An instructor will be on hand to take you through the entire process. The cost is $20. There will be a separate face painting area if you want to get creative after you make the body. In addition to that, my favorite garden center is hosting several Fall Container workshops in September and October with smaller classes to comply with COVID-19 mitigation guidelines. If you don’t feel comfortable doing an in person workshop, they also offer garden kits that allow you to create something at home.
- Peddlers Village cancelled their annual Scarecrow Festival due to the pandemic, but they are hosting scarecrow-making workshops designed with safety of the participants in mind. The workshops will be held on September 12th, 13th, 19th and 26th. This year, each family will have a designated area to build their life size scarecrow to take home. They supply instructions, straw, and all the accessories needed to clothe and decorate your scarecrow. The workshop costs $35.
- Morris Arboretum’s Annual Scarecrow Design Contest theme this year is “Fairy Tale Crows”. Registration deadline to be a part of the contest is Sept 25th. They supply a frame, straw, burlap and twine for you to take home and construct your scarecrow. Supply pickup dates are Sept 19th through Sept 27th. Drop off dates are Sept 29th, Sept 30th and Oct 1st. The cost to participate in the contest is $30 for non-members and $25 for members. Your scarecrow will be on display outside along “Scarecrow Walk” at Morris Arboretum, and visitors can vote on their favorite.
4) At Home Beer & Wine Tasting
If you’re still feeling a little uneasy about going out in public, invite a few friends or family members over for an at home beer or wine tasting night. I found everything you will need $1, $3, $5 section at Target: flight board, beer and wine glasses and scorecards.
My choice for a beer tasting:
- The Larimer. The Chester, PA brewery offers high quality craft beers inspired by the brewer’s world travels.
- To make beer tasting easy for everyone, The Larimer is selling a special Kathy’s Fall Activities Mixed 4-Pack available for pick up at the taproom or home delivery.
As for wine, here are some of my favorites:
- Karamoor Estate Vineyards, located in Ft. Washington, PA, has a number of great red and white wines to choose from.
- Perfect for an at-home wine tasting, Karamoor Estate is offering a Kathy’s WMMR Fall Activities Wine Pack including three bottles of their finest varietals.
- A hidden gem, Wolffer Estate in the Hamptons, produces my favorite Summer in a Bottle Rose.
- Nobilo, which is a crisp Savignon Blanc sold for $50 a bottle at most restaurants, actually retails for $10-$14 at the liquor store.
- My newest Coppola Wine find is the Eleanor Red Blend.
Note: If you’re fully quarantining, you can also taste various beer and wines alone. Don’t underestimate drinking alone.
5) Kangaroo Yoga
That’s right! Barn Hill Preserve in Frankford, DE has Kangaroo Yoga. Last year, goat yoga topped the list and that’s still available at your favorite farms. But if you’d like to try the newest “it thing” get your yoga mat and head south. A certified instructor will lead the class in the kangaroo yard and guide you through a relaxing 45-minute yoga flow as 5 resident joeys hop around. Staff members are also present to ensure safe interactions between participants and ‘roos.
6) Norristown Farm Park
Norristown Farm Park is holding a number of family friendly outdoor events that the kids will love this fall. Animal artifacts will be available for the kids to see at the Skulls, Skins and Skeletons event on October 10th at 2pm. First-hand spooky stories will be told by staff on the property during the Eerie Animals and Spooky Stories hike on October 22nd at 7:30pm. And a call will be used to hopefully summon wild birds during the Owl Prowl on November 14th at 7:30pm. All events are free for adults and children. The park’s educator guides each tour. For more information and registration, email [email protected] or call 610-270-0215.
7) Drive-Thru Halloween House Tour
The Drive Thru Halloween House Tour in Lower Bucks County is a free, social-distanced, community event to celebrate Halloween and the autumn season. A large number of residents and businesses are participating in this all new drive-thru. A list of decorated homes will go out in mid-October and families can take a scenic tour throughout the lower part of the county to view the sights from the comfort of their vehicles. This event is meant to foster community pride, family creativity, and a sense of wonder and excitement for kids and families, who greatly need it after this past year. Homes will be decorated from October 17 to November 1. Once the homes and businesses are ready to go, a few suggested route options will be posted on the event’s Facebook Page.
8) The Institute Craft Bar & Kitchen
The Institute Craft Bar & Kitchen at 525 N. 11th Street in Philadelphia is still 
hosting the Charlie Brown Pumpkin Beer Festival this year, but it will look much different from previous years. The event will be held over 2 days, October 3rd & 4th, and is reservation only. Tickets secure 2-hour time blocks for their outdoor seating, and are for groups of 4 to 6 people. If you know you want to stay longer, you can purchase consecutive time blocks for tables. However, in accordance with guidelines, meals must be purchased in order to consume alcohol. Each $7 ticket gets you a pumpkin beer of your choosing. After that, you pay as you go. Pumpkin-inspired menus will be offered for both brunch and dinner. Pumpkin beers, ciders and cocktails will be available as well.
9) Visit Amish Country
The well-organized Amish greenhouses have a large variety of fall plants, flowers, pumpkins and all other fall necessities at prices you can’t beat! I took my son with me, and it turned out to be a nice opportunity to teach him about the Amish culture. My favorite farm is the Meadow Lane Greenhouse – 235 Cullen Road, Oxford.
A few others that are worth checking out:
- Lone Pine Greenhouse – 2149 Kirkwood Pike, Kirkwood PA 17536.
- Maple Shade Greenhouse – 451 Maple Shade Road, Kirkwood PA 17536
- Brookside Nursery – 154-310 Catamount Road, Oxford, PA 19363.
- Toot Valley Farm – 204 Crowl Toot Road, Lincoln University, PA 19352.
- Lytle Farm offers a pick-your-own pumpkin patch with a free tractor ride out to the fields. The family owned farm also creates a 5-acre corn maze. Each year they add new things to find in their scavenger hunt style maze.
- There is also a Mum Fest taking place in Oxford, PA on Saturday Oct 3rd.
10) A Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Glow Festival & Trick-or-Treat
Lehigh Valley Hot Air is hosting the Halloween-themed event at the Slatington Airport on Friday October 23rd from 5p-10p. It’s safe fun at a distance! Tethered rides begin at 5pm and more than a dozen glowing balloons will inflate at 6pm. Tickets are sold per car, at $15 each, or $25 for larger vans or buses. With a standard ticket, you must stay in your car. A limited number of VIP tickets are being sold for $30 and give you lawn access. Each child under 10 will receive a treat bag, while supplies last. Costumes are welcome! A 10pm fireworks show will conclude the event. Details about a possible fly out the following morning will be posted on their Facebook Page.
Follow Kathy’s own adventures this fall on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram and join the fun by including #KathysFallActivities on your own photos.
Listen to Kathy’s break down of these spots she hand selected for you:
Kathy’s Fall Activities is presented by:
