Spokane, WA

Saturday October 13th was a beautiful sunny day. After we went to church at Church of God 7th day located at 2929 N. Freya. Our family decided to drive to Hidden Acres at Greenbluff. There are several growers and each has unique things to offer families on an afternoon or day excursion. Some grow berries, some grow apples and peaches and other fruits. The drive its self any time of year is beautiful and scenic but the Autumn is resplendent with color. ReneeSande wrote about Walters Fruit Ranch my article is about the neighboring Hidden Acres Ranch.

Take Highway 2 to Day Mt. Spokane Road, turn east and drive for approximately 3.9 miles, from the valley you can take Pines to Evergreen, Turn left on Evergreen. Follow Evergreen, Which as you get past the Bigelow intersection Evergreen turns into Forker Rd. Follow Forker all the way to the end. Take a left on Highway 206 at Inland Power Substation. Drive to the Bruce Rd/Hwy 206 Loop around go right on Bruce. Or you can take the Argonne Exit from I-90, head north on Argonne Road, across Bigelow Gulch, stopping at Peone Prairie Rd and then on to the roundabout stay on Bruce. At the T you go right on Day Mt. Spokane Road. Take a right on Dunn rd, from there watch for signs for Hidden Acres Farms they will be a bit past Walters and are on the left. When we arrived we saw a Tepee set up, A fading Sunflower garden, An old pioneer cabin and a hayride wagon.

Hay rides were $.1.00 per person and would start in about 15 minutes from our arrival. While waiting for the ride a colorful jester showed the children how to juggle pieces of wood. We checked out the fruit stand and looked at the Halloween display set up. We learned there was a for free corn maze as well to go into. Just before the hay ride our three year old Grandson Gerrin climbed up on the tractor seat determined he would drive the tractor. Of course that was not the case.

My husband paid the $12.00 and we got into the hay wagon and sat down. The driver took us on a tour of the orchard telling us of the ranch beginnings and showing us many of the different varieties of apples hanging on the tree. Apples are not ripe until the seeds inside are dark brown to black. He told us some varieties were picked but about three others would not be harvested for another three weeks. He took us by the pumpkin patch where families were gathered looking for the best pumpkins to turn into Jack O lanterns or make into pumpkin pies. He then told us about the pioneer cabin, very small where often a family would reside for the first year before a bigger cabin was raised. The tepee represented the Spokane Indians who lived in the area when some of the first pioneers settled in Greenbluff and planted their orchards. The Natives hunted and fished and traded with the pioneers for goods and helped them through the first couple of years. We then went past the corn maze and he told us they grew corn, squash, grapes and pumpkins in addition to apples, pears and peaches on the ranch.

After the hayride we all went through the corn maze, in front of the maze were wood cutouts representing the pioneer way of life. Some had stocks for punishment, others were the old house out back where one could sit and contemplate the hours and read a Sears catalog and others represented a farmer and his wife. Different family members stuck their heads into the holes and had me snap photos of them representing the lifestyle of the pioneer. The kids went through the corn maze again and then we all enjoyed some crisp delicious apples.

It was a good day. We could see many others there taking in the activities and other folk going to neighboring fruit ranches such as Walters Fruit Ranch and Bodacious Berry farm. We plan to go back again next year to another ranch and sample their wares and fun and activities. Each of the growers has something different to offer and there are various annual festivals though out the year such as the Cherry Pickers trot and the Peach Festival plus the Apple festival.