For six weeks every fall, the normally quiet Snohomish River Valley explodes into a ritualized celebration of fall as seven local “farms” open their corn mazes, pumpkin patches, sunflower fields, playgrounds, hayrides, and haunted houses to the throngs of people who push north out of the crowded suburbs of Seattle to enjoy a taste of Americana in our picturesque valley of verdant farmland ringed with snow-capped mountains.
I’ve done 9 hours twice, and I begged our scheduler never to do that to me again. But the farm needs “mature” people on the cow trains and it’s hard to find those willing to work this short-term gig. I’ve brought two of my buddies into the mix (retired ranger, retired geologist), and there are also a recent neurosurgery graduate who wants to keep busy while he interviews for jobs, a professional window washer, a former dairyman turned mill worker, and a cemetery manager. It’s quite a mix!
So I live in Redmond and there are a bunch of farms out here as well, and I don’t know what happened but two of them didn’t open this year. Broke my heart! My kids loved the cow train at Serres Farm too—our staple farm. I don’t know, maybe it wasn’t viable anymore. Sadly we won’t make it to a farm this year I think.
I wonder why they didn’t open? This is such a big draw for Stocker … but they do have to invest more every year to keep up. I wonder if some folks just don’t want to deal with that? It’s a six week sprint for this farm.
Isn’t it terrible? I think it’s a virtually unsolvable problem, so I do my best to just never venture that way on fall weekends. Did you go to the haunted house there? A buddy of mine owns the company that operates it.
This is the last big weekend for cider mills in Michigan. It was very warm and people are eating up the chance... and cider and donuts. Unfortunately, many of the farms and cider mills are moving toward hipster tourism to stay in business. Apple picking is gone or extremely expensive and hayrides and animal farms are replaced with wine tasting, artisan eateries and overpriced "rides". I get it, though. The endeavor is too expensive and they have to find ways to stay in business. It is a slice of Americana though, like you mentioned, that is uniquely apolitical. I hope both where you're at and where I'm at these farms survive and even thrive.
Thanks for sharing, Tom, and I'm excited to see where retirement continues to take you!
I like that term “hipster tourism,” and there’s definitely a bunch of that going on as well here. They set up these little outdoor “photo booths”: kitschy fall-themed tableaus for all the people to take their pictures in front of.
And maybe MORE BEER at the end of those cow train excursions! (Just don't let those helicopter parents see you chugging the dregs of your IPA). Love this, Tom! What a charming picture you paint. I was there, and wanted to be there for real.
Beer is the first thing I’m after when I walk in the door! (Or maybe an old fashioned, if I haven’t already consumed all the bourbon in the house). But it is a charming place, that’s for sure.
I have read this in between the corn pit and the haysack slides at a similar such farm. That’s a very giving way to spend your time. I would get sick with one round of said cow train.
Oh, I am sick of the train usually within a couple rounds, so it becomes this personal crusade not to lose my mind for the rest of the day and, frankly, to make sure the kids are having fun because that is the only thing that makes it worthwhile. It’s a good challenge for me.
Leading up to retirement I was always the city mouse and JFran the country mouse. At one point I wanted a condo in SF with no lawn to worry about and urban coffee at every turn. I got over that; I have little patience for crowds or traffic. We ended up in the last legit city an hour north of SF before the top half of California and I don't think I'll ever get sick of the local farms and vineyards. I haven't seen a cow train but pumpkin patches sprout up all over. Joy from all those kids from everywhere sounds like a blast.
Good to hear from you Andrew. The joy from the kids really redeems all the dullness of the work. And we like our small town out on the edge of the burbs—we can get into the city, but the country is really close. Sounds like you’re about the same.
Same Tom and exactly, kind of exurbs? Dullness is a good description of much trad’l retiree/volunteer type stuff. And I’d count being on boards and such - tha’ts just a another flavor of dull. No joy, so cow train is definitely an outlier!
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your time as a cow train driver. I've always wondered what kind of person volunteers to do that sort of thing. Now I know!
Hmm, that “what kind of a person” comment is interesting. I’m the kind of person who likes to work outdoors and enjoys working with kids … but I’ll ultimately decide this manifestation of that isn’t for me. Too repetitive, too boring. There needs to be more in it for me, more thinking. But I’m very happy to have had a chance to learn that.
The cow train sounds like a hoot, for a day.... Is the Boeing plant open again? We left Mukilteo because it had closed (1983) and moved back to California, though my dad ended his career at Boeing again in the satellite division in SoCal.
Or half a day, or maybe an hour. I’m trying shit, Troy, seeing what works and what doesn’t. I’ll chalk this up in the doesn’t category, but little is lost. As for Boeing, I think they’re voting on a new contract offer today. It’s been a quiet strike around here, or maybe I just haven’t been by the plant to see the picketers.
One of my favorites you've written. Made me chuckle. I know you probably wish you were at the race track more often, but at least you are still driving in spirited loops. ;)
Glad you liked it. The funny thing is, when I do my half-lap without kids (from the drop off point to the pickup point), I goose the engine and go as fast as I can. Minor thrills!
An ice cold beer after any strenuous endeavor is the nectar of the gods!
Amen to that! I like one once I get home, but there’s nothing like an ice cold beer as you peel your boots off.
Wonderful story!
Great article bro, made me laugh out loud...literally, not just inspiring an "LOL" imoge.
Glad you liked it Pete
9 hours of cow train!
Glorious ode to fall with those pictures!
I’ve done 9 hours twice, and I begged our scheduler never to do that to me again. But the farm needs “mature” people on the cow trains and it’s hard to find those willing to work this short-term gig. I’ve brought two of my buddies into the mix (retired ranger, retired geologist), and there are also a recent neurosurgery graduate who wants to keep busy while he interviews for jobs, a professional window washer, a former dairyman turned mill worker, and a cemetery manager. It’s quite a mix!
Great post!
So I live in Redmond and there are a bunch of farms out here as well, and I don’t know what happened but two of them didn’t open this year. Broke my heart! My kids loved the cow train at Serres Farm too—our staple farm. I don’t know, maybe it wasn’t viable anymore. Sadly we won’t make it to a farm this year I think.
I wonder why they didn’t open? This is such a big draw for Stocker … but they do have to invest more every year to keep up. I wonder if some folks just don’t want to deal with that? It’s a six week sprint for this farm.
OMG I spent AN HOUR trying to drive that final mile to Thomas Family farms last weekend. UUUGGGHHH. Sorry to you Snohomish natives :(
Isn’t it terrible? I think it’s a virtually unsolvable problem, so I do my best to just never venture that way on fall weekends. Did you go to the haunted house there? A buddy of mine owns the company that operates it.
This is the last big weekend for cider mills in Michigan. It was very warm and people are eating up the chance... and cider and donuts. Unfortunately, many of the farms and cider mills are moving toward hipster tourism to stay in business. Apple picking is gone or extremely expensive and hayrides and animal farms are replaced with wine tasting, artisan eateries and overpriced "rides". I get it, though. The endeavor is too expensive and they have to find ways to stay in business. It is a slice of Americana though, like you mentioned, that is uniquely apolitical. I hope both where you're at and where I'm at these farms survive and even thrive.
Thanks for sharing, Tom, and I'm excited to see where retirement continues to take you!
I like that term “hipster tourism,” and there’s definitely a bunch of that going on as well here. They set up these little outdoor “photo booths”: kitschy fall-themed tableaus for all the people to take their pictures in front of.
And maybe MORE BEER at the end of those cow train excursions! (Just don't let those helicopter parents see you chugging the dregs of your IPA). Love this, Tom! What a charming picture you paint. I was there, and wanted to be there for real.
Beer is the first thing I’m after when I walk in the door! (Or maybe an old fashioned, if I haven’t already consumed all the bourbon in the house). But it is a charming place, that’s for sure.
I have read this in between the corn pit and the haysack slides at a similar such farm. That’s a very giving way to spend your time. I would get sick with one round of said cow train.
Oh, I am sick of the train usually within a couple rounds, so it becomes this personal crusade not to lose my mind for the rest of the day and, frankly, to make sure the kids are having fun because that is the only thing that makes it worthwhile. It’s a good challenge for me.
Leading up to retirement I was always the city mouse and JFran the country mouse. At one point I wanted a condo in SF with no lawn to worry about and urban coffee at every turn. I got over that; I have little patience for crowds or traffic. We ended up in the last legit city an hour north of SF before the top half of California and I don't think I'll ever get sick of the local farms and vineyards. I haven't seen a cow train but pumpkin patches sprout up all over. Joy from all those kids from everywhere sounds like a blast.
Good to hear from you Andrew. The joy from the kids really redeems all the dullness of the work. And we like our small town out on the edge of the burbs—we can get into the city, but the country is really close. Sounds like you’re about the same.
Same Tom and exactly, kind of exurbs? Dullness is a good description of much trad’l retiree/volunteer type stuff. And I’d count being on boards and such - tha’ts just a another flavor of dull. No joy, so cow train is definitely an outlier!
I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your time as a cow train driver. I've always wondered what kind of person volunteers to do that sort of thing. Now I know!
Hmm, that “what kind of a person” comment is interesting. I’m the kind of person who likes to work outdoors and enjoys working with kids … but I’ll ultimately decide this manifestation of that isn’t for me. Too repetitive, too boring. There needs to be more in it for me, more thinking. But I’m very happy to have had a chance to learn that.
The cow train sounds like a hoot, for a day.... Is the Boeing plant open again? We left Mukilteo because it had closed (1983) and moved back to California, though my dad ended his career at Boeing again in the satellite division in SoCal.
Or half a day, or maybe an hour. I’m trying shit, Troy, seeing what works and what doesn’t. I’ll chalk this up in the doesn’t category, but little is lost. As for Boeing, I think they’re voting on a new contract offer today. It’s been a quiet strike around here, or maybe I just haven’t been by the plant to see the picketers.
One of my favorites you've written. Made me chuckle. I know you probably wish you were at the race track more often, but at least you are still driving in spirited loops. ;)
Glad you liked it. The funny thing is, when I do my half-lap without kids (from the drop off point to the pickup point), I goose the engine and go as fast as I can. Minor thrills!
you look like a natural on the cow train. and the post-hike fresh hop is the peak fall move up here.
This is so lovely. Thanks for driving the cow train ❤️