Washington Farms

Honestly thought this farm was just for strawberry picking because that’s all my family and I ever came here to do! This fall, my boyfriend and I were looking for a farm that had the whole fall package: corn maze, corn canon, pumpkin patch, hay ride, etc. I decided to try this place for our fall festivities this year. I had been to a few other corn mazes/​pumpkin patches thought my living in Georgia. And boy, I loved this place! It was huge and had everything. Cute barnyard games and moon bounces, pig races. The only thing they didn’t have was a petting zoo, which I didn’t really mind. If I brought my little brother then maybe it would’ve been more fit. But at least we were able to see cute little piglets during and after the race! The corn maze was huge! Short route took us maybe 30 minutes? The long route they said took maybe an hour I believe. This year it was UGA themed. We got lost a few times lol. The corn was nicely intact. I had been to a few corn mazes where teens cut through the corn, so you couldn’t tell if it was a «cheat» path or the ACTUAL path the staff had laid out. Almost everything was included in the $ 14 wristband. Corn maze, pig race, games, 1 shot with corn canon. Extra for food, map, pumpkins. Staff was friendly and helpful. Got that southern hospitality (; Would start going back every year!

This is our third year coming to Washington Farms for the Halloween season and we plan to come back every year until the daughter says ENOUGH. This is the first year my daughter has been full price ($ 12) and I still think it is a great deal. Upon arrival, you take a hayride from the main entrance back to the activity area. Once there, kids can enjoy unlimited rides on the cow train, family train, giant jumping pillow, bouncy house, wooden pirate ship, giant slides, smaller kids playground, huge «corn box,» pedal cars, corn mazes, sandbox, water races, pig races, petting farm, and more. The only add’l charges once inside are for extra shots on the pumpkin slingshot and corn cannon. (One shot for each is included with admission and you can gift your shots to another member of your party if you so choose) The pumpkins are a bit more expensive than those at the grocery store but you do get to pick them fresh off the vine. For price comparison, we got two 25lb pumpkins and a mini pumpkin gourd for $ 22. They also sell fresh cut sunflowers, jams, jellies, gourds and delicious kettle corn. We’ll be back :)

My in-​laws were visiting from overseas and wanted to visit the local countryside and pick vegetables/​fruit. Apple season wasn’t in yet, so we decided to pick pumpkins. My kids and I had a blast at the Loganville farm during strawberry season. So, I mentioned that I knew the perfect farm. I called the Washington Farms Bogart location on Friday the 12^th to spoke to an older lady. She said pumpkin picking has begun and they are open all weekdays, Saturday and Sunday too (despite the website saying they begin in late September). She told me to ignore the farm’s website dates and she proceeded to give me the prices for admission and the variety of pumpkins available for picking and even recommended pumpkin pastry recipes.
I spoke to my in-​laws and Saturday was full with the GA Aquarium, World of Coke, etc. I called the older lady at the Bogart location again and redundantly inquired about their Sunday hours (because the website said differently). She repeated they are open that Sunday (September 14^th) starting at 1p and every Sunday after that week. I, in turn, repeated the information back to her for verification. She confirmed gates open at 1p and they are open every Sunday starting that week for pumpkin picking.
The following Sunday, we make the hour and a half drive from Midtown to the Bogart farm. We were running early and stopped off at the Waffle House on US78 right outside Monroe for breakfast (very friendly staff and I strongly recommend). The short order cook made Mickey Mouse pancakes for the kids, and the waitress and my wife exchanged stories about each other’s kids. We wrapped up breakfast and headed up to Bogart. For those of you who use GPS units, your unit may not find the farm unless you input the location as Watkinsville instead of Bogart. We pulled up to the gate and the place was desolate and quiet. Not a person nor car on the property. My wife and I looked at each other and I could almost hear her thoughts, «Nice job husband, the farm’s closed and we are going to look like buffoons in front of my parents!»). There was a sign on the right of the gate with a phone number to the farm. I nervously called while secretly praying the farm employees were running late to open the property. A guy answered and I explained, loud enough to be in earshot of my in-​laws, that we are parked at the gate and no employees were present and we called ahead to confirmed the farm would be open that day. I could feel the blood drain from my face as he told me the farm is closed and opens the following Sunday and every Sunday after that. I would have argued with him over the phone and give him an ear full about what his co-​worker repeatedly told me over the phone several days earlier, but I didn’t. I think Unilocal would be a good way of telling others to please take phone information from this farm with a grain of salt. What a complete waste of time!

With strawberry season coming to a close I felt it was a wonderful time to review Washington Farms. I am also reviewing the other location in Loganville because in my opinion they are very different. Both locations have the same friendly staff but they serve very different purposes.
This is the flagship location. Sure… they have plenty of strawberries to pick, but they have loads of extras. Tons of stuff for the kids to do, hay rides, concession stands, etc. All of this is very fun and makes for a memorable outing.
However, it also makes for large crowds and heavily picked strawberry plants. If you’re just in it for strawberries you should go to the Loganville location, and if at all possible go on a weekday.
I look forward to May and June for one reason and one reason only… strawberries. Thanks Washington Farms.
This is completely unrelated to the farm, but a hilarious story (at least to me) so I thought i would share. My girlfriend, her son, and I were riding on the hay ride and it is relatively cramped quarters and also surprisingly quiet so you can hear other people easily. There’s two middle-​aged with with a few kids sitting across from us. One has a GIANT strawberry juice stain on her knee like she knelt on a nice, ripe strawberry. So she is talking about how this is her only pair of jeans she has and then look at her friend and in all seriousness says, «Wait… is this going to stain?» Her friend just looked at her and said, «It’s strawberry juice.» Made my day. Well… that… and gallons and gallons of strawberries made my day.

We went to a pumpkin patch they have here. It was a great experience.
Besides the pumpkin patch, they have a corn maze, hay rides, cow train rides, corn cannon (which was awesome except you’re in Dawg land so the targets were a GT Yellowjacket and a UF Gator and I am not a Dawg fan at all), a pumpkin launcher, slides made ouf of big pipes, pig races, a petting zoo, pedal cars (I want one!), and a whole bunch of other stuff for the kids. It was great and the punpkins were cheap too. We got 5 big pumpkins, a few smaller ones and some gourds for $ 25. It would have cost us probably $ 100 for the same thing at a church pumpkin patch by our house or at the store.
Overall, worth the drive to Athens!