October may get most of the attention when fall arrives, but September offers a different way to experience fall at Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch in Cumming, just southwest of Des Moines. In this episode of Howell’s Farm Experience, host Mike Downer talks with sixth-generation owner Erin Conner about why families from across the metro, including Ankeny, Waukee, and Urbandale, should consider visiting a pumpkin patch in September near Des Moines. The key takeaways are simple: September can mean warmer weather, thinner crowds, peak flower blooms, pumpkins, and access to fall attractions such as wagon rides and the corn maze, all before the busiest part of the season arrives.
Why Visit Howell’s in September?
For many families, October feels like the natural month for pumpkin patches. Erin says that waiting until October, however, can mean missing one of the farm’s most colorful times of year.
September tends to offer comfortable conditions for spending hours outside. Des Moines’ 1991–2020 September climate normals show an average high of about 77°F and an average low around 55°F, according to the National Weather Service.
That warmer weather can make it easier to walk through the farm, explore the flower fields, take photos, and enjoy attractions without bundling up for colder fall temperatures.
Just as importantly, Howell’s fall activities are already underway.
“You still get the whole pumpkin patch, wagon ride, corn maze experience,” Erin explains. “You don’t have to wait until October to get the full experience.”
September is not meant to replace an October visit. Instead, it gives families another reason to experience the farm earlier and return later to see how the scenery changes.
The Flower Fields Are a September Highlight
One of Howell’s biggest early-fall attractions is its U-pick flower field.
The Howell family has grown flowers for approximately 40 years, originally raising flowers for drying before eventually opening the growing fields to visitors. Today, guests can walk through the fields and build their own bouquets from different varieties, colors, and shades.
Visitors choose between two bucket sizes, and Howell’s provides clippers and access to water. Returning guests can also bring back previously purchased buckets for refills.
Cutting flowers yourself can be part of the experience, but proper handling also helps those blooms last longer once they get home. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recommends using clean, sharp cutting tools and getting freshly cut stems into water quickly.
For families who enjoy photos, the flower fields also create plenty of natural backdrops. Howell’s adds features such as white picket fences, while the farm’s large mature trees provide shade, seasonal color, and another connection to its long history.
Flowers, Pumpkins, and Fall Activities in One Trip
A September visit does not have to revolve around just one activity.
Families can start by cutting flowers, move on to the pumpkin patch, take a wagon ride, explore the corn maze, or simply spend time enjoying the farm. Early September visitors may even get to see baby goats.
Pumpkins can already be available during September because harvest timing depends on maturity rather than simply waiting for October. According to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, pumpkins are ready for harvest once they develop their mature color and a hard rind.
The corn maze also opens with Howell’s fall activities and continues through Halloween. Because Howell’s remains a working farm, the corn eventually needs to be harvested, making the maze a genuinely seasonal experience rather than a permanent attraction.
When Is the Best Time to Visit?
For visitors looking for a quieter experience, Erin recommends weekdays.
Coming early in the day can also be helpful, especially for families with children who may want plenty of time to play. Food is available for visitors who stay through lunch, while afternoon visits can work well for families arriving after younger children’s nap times.
September can also be a good month for repeat visits. Flowers, leaves, temperatures, and the overall atmosphere continue changing as fall progresses. An early trip followed by an October return lets families experience both sides of the season.
For anyone looking for a pumpkin patch in September near Des Moines, whether from Ankeny in the north metro or Waukee and Urbandale on the west side, Howell’s offers more than an early start on pumpkin season. It combines flowers, fall activities, farm scenery, and family time into an experience that changes throughout the season.
Watch the Full Podcast on YouTube
Want to hear the full conversation about September at Howell’s? Watch this episode of Howell’s Farm Experience on YouTube to hear Mike Downer and Erin Conner discuss the flower fields, fall attractions, family activities, and what makes an early-season visit worth adding to your fall plans.
FAQs
Are pumpkins available at Howell’s in September?
Yes. Erin notes that pumpkins are already available during the September fall season.
Is the corn maze open in September?
Yes. The corn maze opens when Howell’s begins its fall activities and generally operates through Halloween.
Can visitors pick their own flowers?
Yes. Howell’s offers U-pick flower fields with multiple bucket sizes, clippers, and a water station.
When is Howell’s less crowded?
Weekdays are typically quieter than weekends, making them a good option for visitors who prefer smaller crowds.
Are there food options at the farm?
Yes. Howell’s offers food options for families who stay through lunch or spend several hours enjoying the attractions.
Can families visit Howell’s more than once during fall?
Yes. Each part of the season offers different flowers, foliage, temperatures, and atmosphere. Season pass options may also be available for guests planning multiple visits.
Does Howell’s have restrooms?
Yes. The farm has public restrooms with modern plumbing for visitors.
Mike Downer: Hello, everybody. Welcome to Howell’s Farm Experience. I’m your host, Mike Downer, and I am joined once again by Erin Conner, one of the owners and sixth generation. Is that right, Erin?
Erin Conner: Yep, I’m sixth generation.
Mike Downer: Sixth generation owner. That tells you they’re doing something right out there. Six generations maintaining this farm and making it better every year says a lot about Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch.
Fall is upon us. It’s Erin’s favorite time of year, so these are some of her favorite conversations. Today, we’re going to talk about why you shouldn’t wait for October and why September is the best-kept secret at Howell’s.
Basically, we’re going to be discussing why Des Moines-area families should treat September, not October, as the ideal time to visit a flower field and pumpkin patch.
Erin, let’s jump right into this. Most people think a fall patch means October, so why is September actually a great time to visit Howell’s?
Erin Conner: Here in September, we have warmer weather, so it’s more comfortable. It’s not freezing out here, and it’s still nice and warm, so you can wear those cute outfits with the shorts and crop tops and not have to worry about freezing to death.
The crowds are thinner in September, and our flower fields are at their peak full bloom with all the colors under the sun. It’s more comfortable to walk out there, take pictures, and enjoy the photo opportunities with spring, summer, or fall dresses, hats, and everything else.
We also have all of our fall attractions going in September, so you still get the whole pumpkin patch, wagon ride, corn maze experience. You don’t have to wait until October to get the full experience.
Mike Downer: That’s great. It’s not like we’re saying, “Don’t come in October.” What we’re telling people is, “Don’t miss September.”
Erin Conner: Exactly. It’s a different atmosphere every week, whether it’s the colors of the flowers, the colors of the leaves, the temperature, or the type of season. It might feel more like fall, or it might feel more Halloween-like.
Mike Downer: You bet. Tell us more about the flower fields. What makes them worth the trip just on their own?
Erin Conner: Here at Howell’s, we’ve been growing flowers for forty years. We originally started with dried flowers, which you can see behind me, back in the eighties.
Now we have also opened up the flower fields we harvest from as U-pick flower fields because everyone wants to have the experience of picking their own flowers. There are so many different varieties, colors, and shades. There are so many options to make the coolest, most beautiful bouquet on your own.
We have two different bucket sizes, so you can choose the price point you want, whether you want the smaller bucket or the bigger bucket. We supply the clippers, and we have a water station out there. You just go pick as many flowers as fit in your bucket.
You can do that over and over. You can buy a new bucket every time you come, or you can bring your old bucket back and do a refill. We have a refill option for the buckets you’ve already purchased.
It’s a one-stop shop. You can get your flowers and your pumpkins.
Mike Downer: We’ve had kind of a very wet summer this year, so I bet those flowers are blooming like crazy right now for you guys.
Erin Conner: Yep. They love that summer heat we had here.
Mike Downer: The summer heat and that natural rainwater. I know you have irrigation to keep everything going, but I’m an old guy—a lot older than you—and you could probably ask your dad. My dad was a farmer. Even though I grew up in the city and I’m a city kid, he used to say there’s nothing plants like more than natural rainwater.
Erin Conner: They definitely took off this summer.
Mike Downer: I bet they did.
We’ve been talking about the flower field, so how does a flower field visit pair with everything else that goes on at Howell’s in the fall?
Erin Conner: Families can cut their own flowers and then move right along into the pumpkin patch after they pick the flowers. Or they can do the pumpkin patch activities first and then, right before they leave, go pick flowers on their way home.
It’s not the same visit either way. You can do the pumpkin patch and pick your pumpkin, or if you’re not quite ready for your pumpkin, you can just go on the wagon ride and get lost in the corn maze. If you come early enough in September, we also have baby goats.
Mike Downer: Oh, I see. Baby goats.
I know people are thinking about photo opportunities and everything else. I’ve heard “tree farm” thrown around in there somewhere. What’s the deal with the tree farm?
Erin Conner: We originally started out as a tree farm.
Mike Downer: Okay, that’s where I’ve heard it.
Erin Conner: Yes, but we are more than that. When you drive by, you see Christmas trees, but we’re farther down the lane. We are more than just a tree farm. We are a whole family destination, a one-stop shop, and a fall-fun adventure.
In terms of photos, we have an awesome flower field and all sorts of different photo opportunities set up out there. Even the flowers in general are their own photo opportunity. We have beautiful white picket fences to give you that whole farm, Hallmark-like feel.
We also have big trees. Since we’re six generations, we’ve been around a long time, so we have some really old trees here on the farm. They help provide shade and fall color. They’re massive trees with beautiful fall colors.
Mike Downer: Some of those trees have to be a hundred years old.
Erin Conner: Over a hundred, yes.
Mike Downer: Wow. Those are the ones that, when you’re a typical city kid driving down the freeway and you see all those pretty trees in the background, that’s what you guys are providing out there, which is cool. It’s one of my favorite times of year.
Erin Conner: Those trees themselves are landmarks in our area. If you see those big, tall trees, you’re like, “Oh, look, there’s Howell’s.”
Mike Downer: That’s very cool. It makes you easy to spot.
Now let’s say I’m planning my trip. Is there a best time of day or day of the week to visit in September for a smoother experience?
Erin Conner: The slowest time would be during the week. You would get the place with less of a crowd.
I suggest coming early because those kids are going to start playing, and they’re not going to want to leave. We do have food options available, so if you stay past lunch and don’t have lunch, we can provide lunch options for you.
You can also come out after lunch or after nap time because in the fall, we stay open later. You can run some extra afternoon energy out of those kids. Especially while the older kids are in school, you can bring out the little ones for some daytime fun.
Mike Downer: I would never suggest that somebody let their kid play hooky to have a fun family experience.
Erin Conner: I’m guilty of that. If it has anything to do with the pumpkin patch, it’s called research and development. Or maybe it’s something else. I call it something, but I’ve played hooky with the kids to go to pumpkin patch activities because I’m obsessed with pumpkin patches.
Mike Downer: I really don’t think a fun bonding experience where they actually learn something is a horrible thing to do. If you choose that and want to go out there on a Tuesday to get the whole experience, they will learn something. Family bonding time is second to none, in my opinion.
Erin Conner: I agree.
Mike Downer: For someone who has only ever thought of Howell’s as the pumpkin place, what’s the message about September?
Erin Conner: Howell’s flowers are in full bloom. Our attractions are open. Pumpkins are already available. It’s worth treating September as its own destination.
We have a lot to offer down here on the farm. We have public restrooms, so it’s not like you’re just down on the farm. We actually have modern plumbing and bathrooms. We also have food options and old-time family fun.
Mike Downer: That’s awesome.
Just for the big kids, like me, when does the corn maze open?
Erin Conner: The corn maze opens the first weekend that we’re open for our fall activities. It runs until Halloween, and then we have to combine it.
I know we’ve had calls from people wanting to do the corn maze two weeks before Thanksgiving, and we’re like, “Hey, it’s already been combined,” because we are an actual working farm out here. Yes, we use the corn for the corn maze, but then we also have to turn around, be farmers, and harvest it.
Mike Downer: I know there’s the whole concept of keeping it up and all that, but Mother Nature has her say in your business as well.
Erin Conner: A couple of years ago, we couldn’t get the corn maze out right away. We couldn’t get it out until spring because it snowed, stayed wet, kept snowing, and then deer started living in it. The yield from cutting it in the spring was horrible, but that wasn’t the point. The point was the corn maze.
We like to try to get the corn in early, right after Halloween. So if you want the corn maze, come between now and Halloween.
Mike Downer: Very good. That makes perfect sense. Like I said, I just wanted to let everybody know that it’s not one hundred percent your decision. Mother Nature has her say in it as well.
I’m thinking everybody needs to get their first trip to Howell’s planned right now and make sure they hit the early season. It’ll be a great setup for the next couple of times you go out there because then you can see the changes as well. If you get the early visit in, the later visits mean that much more because you can see the changes.
Erin Conner: And if you’re planning on making multiple trips, check out our season pass options because that is worth looking into if you’re obsessed with Howell’s like I am.
Mike Downer: You kind of have to be obsessed with Howell’s. You live there, don’t you?
Well, that’s great. I love your passion for a sixth-generation family business, as well as, like you said, being a working farm. There are so many different experiences and so many things people can learn. Family bonding time—I could keep going on. The list is endless.
Everybody, make your plans and go out there. When you go, make sure to drop in and say hi to Erin. I’m sure she’d love to say hi to you. Tell her what a great job she does on the podcast. Just don’t tell her to fire me.
Erin Conner: I’m always here, so whenever they come, they can find me somewhere.
Mike Downer: Sounds good. Erin, thanks a lot for joining me. I look forward to the next time we talk. I’m sure we’re probably going to be getting into the later seasons and everything you guys do out there.
Erin Conner: Yep. I can’t wait.
Mike Downer: All right. Take care.
