Screens take up hours each day. Too often, those hours replace real experiences. Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch gives you another option. This local favorite brings families, schools, and teams outside year-round. If you’re looking for the best place to unplug, eat, and explore, it’s the top choice for greenhouse Des Moines visitors. You get fresh air, real food, and time together. Here’s what spring, summer, fall, and winter look like off-screen.

Spring: Bloom and Play

Spring starts fresh. At Howell’s, that means flowers, animals, and dirt under your nails. It’s a time to reset. When you’re looking for simple ways to engage your family or take a break from schedules, spring is a smart time to start.

Egg Palooza

Kids race through open fields hunting for eggs. Parents cheer them on. No devices. Just fun. The baby goats are the highlight. Small, soft, and curious. You feed them, pet them, and forget your phone exists.

Greenhouse Visits

Howell’s greenhouses open in spring. Rows of flowers and plants fill the space. Buy one to take home or walk through and breathe in the scent of new growth. This is the best local option if you’re looking for a greenhouse in Des Moines.

Planting New Traditions

Spring at Howell’s helps you start new habits. Kids dig into the dirt. You walk together. Conversations come easier. If your family struggles to find moments away from screens, this is a place to try something new.

Summer: Move, Laugh, Get Messy

Summer at Howell’s means open space and motion. No cords. No screens. Just movement. When routines fall apart and boredom kicks in, the farm offers structure without pressure.

Physical Play

Kids run. They pedal tractors and ride wiggle cars. They swing and slide. The corn pool adds something new. It’s different from any backyard toy. The hamster wheel adds even more challenge. You don’t need to plan much. The activities are ready and waiting.

Messy Fun

There’s a mud pie zone. Kids shape, mix, and throw. It’s messy. It’s fun. It’s what summer should be. Duck races bring out cheers from everyone. You pick your duck and send it down the water track. Simple fun.

Active Time Outside

The animals add another layer. You walk, you feed, you watch. It’s better than anything on a screen. You’re not watching a show. You’re part of the scene. Parents slow down. Kids speed up. Everyone stays present.

Fall: Big Space, Bigger Choices

Fall is Howell’s busiest time. That’s because fall is full of options. Food, games, animals, and pumpkins. Lots of pumpkins. If your fall calendar is full of rushed commitments, this is where you shift the pace.

Corn Maze and Rides

Start with the 8-acre corn maze. Solve clues. Look for checkpoints. You work together. You get lost. That’s the point. Then take a wagon ride. It’s slow and scenic. All rides are wheelchair accessible.

The corn cannon is loud and fun. You aim and shoot. The paintball range adds some challenge. These games aren’t virtual. They’re real. Teens and adults find challenge without screens.

Pumpkins and Food

Eighteen acres of pumpkins. You walk the field. Pick one. Take it home. Around the farm, you’ll find snacks: caramel apples, apple cider slushes, pumpkin bars, and kettle corn. These treats are more than food. They’re part of the memory.

Play Zones

Younger kids get the bathtub train, jump pad, and obstacle course. Older kids like the two-seater trikes and pedal go-karts. There’s also chalk, slides, swings, and goat feeding. Everyone finds something that fits.

One Place, Many Memories

This is the season of school trips and weekend outings. There are no distractions. Everything is right in front of you. That’s why people come back every year. They leave with something no screen can provide.

Winter: Slow Down and Look Ahead

Winter doesn’t stop the farm. It shifts the pace. Howell’s remains part of your year, even without the rides and races.

Stay Connected at Home

Buy dried floral arrangements. They last for months. Each one is made from Howell’s own flowers. These are real decorations. They come from real soil. Arranging them can become a quiet hobby.

Container gardens are another option. They bring hands-on time into your home. Kids help pick plants. You build something useful together.

Make Plans

Use winter to plan. Look at photos from past visits. Pick dates for spring or summer. Schedule the next goat cuddle or corn maze race. Time together should be a priority.

Planning a visit can be a way to stay connected. It gives families something to look forward to. Even a short drive out to the farm changes the mood.

Why Howell’s Works

Howell’s is not new. It started in 1878. It was a farm with cattle, hogs, and crops. In the 1980s, Fred Howell started planting dried flowers. That small step changed everything. Now, the farm hosts field trips and families.

What stayed the same is the purpose. Howell’s is about real connection. Real movement. Real moments. There is no tech layer here. You walk. You eat. You talk. You spend time.

You don’t watch goats on a screen. You feed them. You don’t scroll past a maze. You walk it. You don’t post a donut. You eat it.

The farm has something different. It gives your day shape. It offers your family a reset. And it’s easy to reach from the city. The space is open, but focused.

Days Worth Remembering

Most days are packed. Work, school, schedules, and screens. It’s hard to slow down. It’s hard to find time together. Even when you’re home, the phone buzzes or the TV is on.

Howell’s gives you a place to reset. You step out of the routine. You spend a full day focused on each other. No devices. No pressure. Whether you’re carving pumpkins, pushing a pedal tractor, or looking for a quiet greenhouse in Des Moines, you get something rare. You get uninterrupted time.

This isn’t about filling hours. It’s about making them count. Howell’s is simple, but full. Each season offers new ways to reconnect. Each visit is time well spent.

When you’re ready for fewer distractions and more real time, choose something close, simple, and complete. Pick a season. Pick a day. Bring the people you care about. Unplug. Come to the greenhouse Des Moines love: Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch.