Situated in Erie, Anderson Farms is about a forty-five-minute drive from Denver.
The Anderson Farms story begins in 1911 when Swedish emigrants August and Josephine Anderson purchased a farm south of Mead, Colorado. They lived there with their four children, Albert, Mildred, Edwin, and Laurine. August and Josephine died when the children were young, so Albert and Edwin took over the farm. Over the years they grew corn, sugar beets, barley, alfalfa, and wheat and in the 1930s began raising cattle. Edwin married Louise Johnson, a Longmont farming native, in 1946. Her father, Emil Johnson, was also a Swedish emigrant. Emil and his wife Esther spent many years farming near Highway 287 and Lookout Road south of Longmont.
In 1958, as Interstate 25 was being built, the government purchased some of the Anderson property for the highway project. The money Edwin and Albert received from this purchase was used to buy the current Anderson Farms property
near Erie, Boulder & Weld Counties, CO. Until 1996, the South Farm, as it is known, was a tenant farm. Other families, including the Walkers and Rasmussens, lived and worked on the farm.
Edwin and Louise had three children Barbara, Jody, and Jim. Barbara and her husband Randy, three children, and four grandchildren now live in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jody lives on the farm near Mead. Jim and his wife, Brenda live near the South Farm. They have two daughters Rachelle, who is actively involved with the farm, and Megan who lives and studies in the Front Range area.
Anderson Farm is an agritainment venue offering fall family fun. Kids and the young-at-heart can explore the humongous 25-acre corn maze, take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch, play with farm critters, whoosh down the combine slide, race Barnyard 500 Pedal Karts, climb a tire mountain, explore a rainbow maze and Fort A-Lot-A-Fun.
Other activities include pedal karts, barrel trains, gem mining, and kiddie korral playground. For the more adventurous crowd try Terror in the Corn, a haunted hayride and ghost town. You can also jump on the jump pads, which are like a bounce house without walls. Adults are allowed on them too.
Open seasonally, kids can get lost in their giant corn maze with three games to choose from. The maze is spread out over 25 acres, with 8 miles of trails sure to keep even the most active kids entertained. It is also a part of the annual Fall Festival, which everyone in the country knows is one of the nation’s favorite traditions.
Kids can also play on the wooden train, and there are mine cars to ride. Barrel trains, fire pits, sand diggers, and a playground top off the fun, and yes kids, there are real-life animals too in the farm area. The maze is open day and night and is never haunted. Search through all sections to find the checkpoints or wander if that is your style.
In the Anderson Farms, they grow over 70 different kinds of pumpkins, squash, and gourds. Pumpkins range in price depending on the size but they are quite costly compared to when you buy them in the market.
Throughout the farm, you will come across various pumpkin-themed spots that are great for taking family photos. This farm is very family-oriented, so there is always something fun for the kids to do. Other photo spots you can find include a cornucopia, a pumpkin weighing scale, and a couple of hay barrels and pumpkin setups/staging for pictures.
Pumpkin Creek Gemstone Mining is another attraction you can find at the farm. Anderson Farms and its surrounding areas,
Erie and Carbon Valley, have a rich history of coal mining. At the Pumpkin Creek Gem Mining, you can mine for gemstones and fossils. There are 40 gemstones and minerals, or 32 fossils potentially hidden in each bag of rough. There are three to choose from; the gemstone bag, the fossil bag, or the emerald and ruby bag. Take your bag to the sluice, and place a handful of rough.
If you’re looking for a great place to spend a day enjoying Colorado’s beautiful fall weather, consider a visit to Anderson Farms for their annual Fall Festival. It features tons of fun attractions that are sure to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.
