| Location |
1312 Ropp Rd, Normal, IL 61761
| Hours |
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10am-6pm
| Phone |
309-454-6880
| Website |
About
Rader Family Fun is a Pumpkin and Activity Farm owned and run by Lynn and Linda Rader and their family. Lynn was raised on the farm where it used to be a dairy farm called Guernsey Dairy. The cows were sold in 1971 and Lynn and Linda have been primarily grain farmers. For years they have grown and sold sweet corn in the summer and pumpkins in the fall. Today Lynn and his family have about 12 acres of sweet corn and 30 + acres of gourds ad pumpkins. The business has expanded greatly over the years and has much to offer to families and visitors. There are loads of pumpkins, gourds, squashes, and fall decorations at Rader. There are 2 pumpkin patches which are "U-Pick" where you can grab a wagon and go pick your own pumpkins from the field! Always remember to pick the pumpkins from the bottom and clip the stem? They also have loads of pumpkins and other produce already picked for you in the pumpkin barn. All the produce is $.44 a pound with some exceptions such as small gourds and pumpkins which don't weigh. They also have Indian corn, corn stalks, straw bales, and mums for sale for decoration.
Activities
Along with all the pumpkins and produce Rader Family Farm also has a corn maze which is approximately 10 acres. There are many family activities especially those for children such as a smaller corn maze, corn bins and much more. On the farm you can buy an Activity Wrist band where you will receive access to many activities such as the Corny Bins which are old corn silos with corn for children to play in. There is the Double Barrel Shoot which are 2 large black sides next to each other. There is the Tire Tower which is a big sand pit with the large tractor tires and many sand toys. There are wooden horses with lassos so children can lasso the steers and horse swings made from tires. There are Duck Races with old fashioned well pump to make the ducks move as well as the Spider Web to climb on. One of the most popular activities is the Rat Rollers where you can roll yourself down a track in an oversized tube. There is The Little Village where children 6yo and under can play in small houses such as a market, a post office, and playhouses. There are tram rides on the weekends and bonfires on Saturday and Sunday nights where you can purchase a S’mores kit in the Gift Shop. There is also the very well known Jumping Pillow which can be enjoyed by visitors of all ages! For the younger children there are Caterpillar and Ladybug Barrel Rides where the children can ride around the farm on a caterpillar tram. Along with activities there is also The Barnyard which contains many different farm animals such as goats, a donkey, chickens, cows, turkeys and of course the bunnies in their Bunny Village. You can feed the goats for $.25 in The Barnyard, but remember to take caution when petting and feeding the animals.
Food & More
There is a large assortment of delicious food, snacks, and drinks at Rader Family FarmS in many locations on the farm. The Pumpkin Blossom Cafe which is open every day serves the main meals such as hot dogs, pulled pork BBQ, sloppy joe, and much more. The Harvest Brew Coffee shop is also open very day and serves many different blended drinks such as the Black Cow Latte, the Pumpkin Delight, and the Scarecrow Latte. They also serve many specialty treats like homemade pumpkin bars, rice krispie treats, and pumpkin face cookies. The Barnyard Grill is open on the weekends and sells fresh roasted sweet corn form the fields along with corn dogs, nachos, caramel apples, and pumpkin donuts. There is also the Sidekick Grill which is o the side of the Pumpkin Barn which is ready to see you snacks on the weekends such as kettle corn, cookies, and lemonade shake-ups. Poppy’s Kettle Korn booth is the last food service and has the famous caramel apple slushies, battled cider, and of course kettle corn and fresh popped popcorn.
Field Trips & Parties
Rader Family Farms is open for field trips Tuesday- Friday starting at 9a.m. The children meet in the school house and learn all about how pumpkins grow and have access to all the activities on the farm. You can also reserve a tent at the farm for a birthday party. Children at the birthday party will have access to all the activities on the farm and have a private tent where then can eat and celebrate.
For years, Rader Family Farms has been open to the public for various activities and all sorts of fun year round. One of the most exciting times a year is none other than pumpkin season. All throughout the season, the pumpkin patch is open for anyone to take a stroll through with a wagon and choose whichever pumpkins someone might want! There is no time limit and it’s a great activity for family or friends to enjoy on a fall day! It is warned that if you pick pumpkins from the patch, make sure you cut the stem, but make sure you pick up the pumpkin from under it, not by the stem! With the stem, the quality and overall life of the pumpkin increases. If for whatever reason, someone is not in the mood for walking through the pumpkin patch, there are plenty of pre-picked pumpkins, gourds, and squash ready to be picked up and go!
Besides looking for pumpkins, there are lots of other activities to do too! Rader Family Farms also produces a ~10 acre corn maze each year. This maze is made into new shapes every year; as you enter the maze, you are handed a punch card that as you wander the maze, the goal is to punch each hole at the designated checkpoints. Don’t be fooled! Each checkpoint has a different shape punch so there is no faking getting through the maze! (No worries, they will still let you out!) In addition to getting through the corn maze, they also have what they call the Night Maze; this is for those who want to try a hand at navigating the maze at night! This is not intended to be a scary maze, it meant to be just a great fun experience! Other fun things open for those participating include the jumping Pillow, cafe, coffee shop and campfires. It is overall a great night of fun for those eligible! (some age restrictions may apply)
There are too many daily activities to count! Some of these are:
Duck Races: you get to race ducks against your friends!
The Spider Web: Try out your climbing skills by climbing like a spider around a suspended cargo net between poles!
Rat Rollers: Roll yourself down a track in an oversized tube! (speaking from experience, these are a lot of fun! Even if you are an adult)
The Tire Tower: This tall tower of tires is great for testing out your climbing skills!
The Schoolhouse: this is mainly for field trips during the week and guests on weekends, but guests can visit and learn about agriculture in Illinois
The Crop Circle: As you go around this pie shaped display, you get to see eight different Illinois crops up close and personal and learn some interesting facts about each of them
The Little Village: This is for kids six and under who want to play around a miniature town, shop for Illinois grown products, and drop mail off at the post office. The kids can even head back to a playhouse to fix a meal with the groceries!
Tram Rides: On weekends, tram rides are available to head out to the pumpkin patch, or just ride around for fun! On this ride, the riders get to learn about the farm and the family who work it.
Mountain Slide: You can climb up the tallest mountain in McLean County to the top and slide down the big slide and continue to do it again and again!
Sandbox: Kids can dig holes with the coolest of diggers!
Pedal Powered Go Carts and Trikes: Pedal around the track and put your driving skills to the test
Cattle Chute and Haystack: Run up the cattle shoot and jump into the haystack!
Big Wheels Crossing: Put your skills to the test by climbing up high on the big spools wheels and back down again
Jumping Pillow: There’s a brightly colored jumping pillow for all ages to try their hand at! It’s a great trampoline alternative!
On top of all the activities there is plenty of food available!
The Harvest Brew Coffee Shop: This serves delicious blended drinks including Pumpkin Delight, S’More Latte, and a Chai Tea Latte (don’t worry, there are lots more!) They also serve delicious treats from Pumpkin or Apple pie to cheesecakes, rice krispie treats, amd ice cream sundaes.
The Barnyard Grill: this includes corn dogs, nachos, pretzels, caramel apples and pumpkin donuts. They also serve farm hand meals with chips, sweet corn, and water.
The Side Kick Grill: A great place to grab some snacks! This has corn, kettle korn, cookies, corn dogs, caramel apples, and lemonade shake-ups
Poppy’s Kettle Korn Booth: They serve the famous Caramel Apple Slushies, Bottled Cider, S’Mores Kits, and fresh Popcorn and Kettle Korn
