Connecting Your Family to Your Food - An Afternoon at Mortimer Farms
Photo by Spectrum Drone
Pumpkins and so much more!
With Halloween right around the corner and an afternoon with no sports or school, the time was ripe to load up the kids and go get some pumpkins. If you live in the Prescott area, that means heading out to Mortimer Farms. While their selection of pumpkins is top notch, the farm experience they provide is second to none in the area. With a Country Store, Farm Park, Animal Encounter, Pick-your-own Food Experience (seasonal berries and produce), festivals, live music, and more, the Mortimer Farms experience is a must-do for anyone in the greater Prescott area and out of towners alike! They are open daily all year round from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, closing only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Join us as we walk you through all the fantastic experiences we had at the farm.
Photo By Spectrum Drone
Mortimer Farms - A family tradition
Gary and Sharla Mortimer founded Mortimer Farms in 2003. They currently operate the farm along with their four children and an amazing, close-knit staff. Both Gary and Sharla were raised in the farming lifestyle, Gary in Iowa and Sharla in Arizona. As Sharla puts it, "When we met and began dating, we agreed we wanted to raise our family in the country, teach them the value of hard work, and share our passion for growing and raising food with them." Fast forward twenty years and the Mortimer family has built the pre-eminent local family farm. Not only can you purchase the highest quality local beef, pork, eggs, veggies, and fruit, but it is also a great place to spend an afternoon.
Photo by Mortimer Farms
The Country Store, Bakery & Deli
The Country Store is open seven days a week. Admission is not required to enjoy the Country Store. We can’t say enough about the high quality of the selections. They have fresh fruits and veggies grown onsite and harvested daily, as well as premium, full-flavored beef and pork raised right down the road at Mortimer Ranches. We found eggs, bread, snacks, farm-made sweets, pickled goods, farm-to-table sandwiches, pasta, coffee, tea, sauces, salsas, dressings, and preserves. We ended up getting the home-made chocolate chip cookie dough, some beautiful rib-eye steaks, beef jerky, and some home-grown honey.
Photo by Spectrum Drone
Farm Park and the Windmill Kitchen
The main attraction for the kiddos is the Farm Park play area. The Farm Park is filled with farm-inspired rides, games, activities, rope courses and of course ziplines! There is an area there called the jumping pillow. Our kiddos could not get enough. A massive inflated pillow (the multi-colored rectangle in photo above) that our kids literally spent over an hour jumping on. We didn’t mind as it gave us some time to grab a snack and a cold drink at the Windmill Kitchen. I highly recommend the grilled steak on a stick with chimichurri! Aside from the jumping pillow, the ziplines were a major hit.
Photo by Mortimer Farms
Pick-your-own Experience (seasonal berries and produce)
One of our favorite activities Mortimer Farms offers. Depending on the season you can find all sorts of different fruits and veggies. Currently the below items are available to harvest on your own at the farm.
Pumpkins! (by the Barn and all the way around the Corn Maze)
FLOWERS (flower field)
Sunflowers (flower field)
Zucchini (field #2)
Anaheim peppers (field #2)
Snack peppers (field #2)
Onions (field #2)
Eggplant (field #2)
Herbs (Garden)
Photo by Mortimer Farms
Interactive Educational Farm Tours and Field Trips
The kids loved the tractor ride, but Mom and Dad truly appreciated all the fun farming facts we learned. At Mortimer Farms, their passion is to educate and pass on the knowledge they have gained over the years about the importance of understanding how and where your food is harvested. On the Farm Tours, groups of children and/or adults will have the opportunity to explore a real, working farm in a hands-on experience. The lessons and experiences had on the farm will be ones that will be remembered for a lifetime!
Photo by Mortimer Farms
Venues for rent at Mortimer Farms
Mortimer Farms also has 3 separate areas you can rent for events or weddings. One is the Farm Park which we discussed above. The Farm Park would be absolutely perfect for a large function with a lot of kids. The other two ( The Grove & The Barn ) are world class wedding or event spaces.
Photo by Mortimer Farms
The Grove
The Grove is an indoor/outdoor space with a rustic, outdoor farm feel. The Grove is surrounded by acres of seasonal crops, including sweet corn, pumpkins, flowers, and strawberries. Your guests will have a spectacular panoramic view of an actual working farm! The 100-year-old shade trees, gorgeous landscaping, romantic lighting, and farm charm are the perfect setting!
Photo by Mortimer Farms
The Barn
The Barn is an indoor/outdoor space with protection from the elements. The ambiance in the barn is the country-chic vibe that event planners thirst after. Your guests will enjoy themselves surrounded by a picture-perfect country experience. Check the website for more details on packages HERE. Mortimer Farms can do it all!
