photos courtesy Robinson Family Farm
FALL FESTIVAL THROUGH OCTOBER 30 • SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS 10AM-6PM
2651 BOB WHITE ROAD, TEMPLE • ALL-INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES
(admission fee excludes food, drink, and pumpkin patch)
TICKETS ONLINE STARTING AT $15.95 • (254) 931-9564 • [email protected]
Instead of rows of fruits and vegetables covering 200 acres in Temple, the Robinson Family Farm harvests a different kind of crop—family gatherings, first dates, and anniversary celebrations. “We don’t grow a whole lot of stuff, but we do want to grow memories,” Helen Robinson says.
CULTIVATING A DREAM
With a couple hundred acres of land passed down from his grandparents, Brian Robinson imagined turning the unused farmland into a family trip destination. It took some time, however, for his wife to get on board with the idea. “I couldn’t see us doing something like that,” Helen says. Then in 2013, “we took our youngest sons to a pumpkin patch and we had a great experience that really opened our eyes to what we could bring. That night, I went home and said, ‘It sounds crazy, but I can see where it’s doable.’ ”
Their vision came to fruition the following year with the opening of the Robinson Family Farm for a fall festival, Christmas tree sale, and Easter egg hunt. With five boys of their own, aged 4 to 16, the Robinsons’ mission was to create a unique farm experience each of them would enjoy. “It was important for us to make sure this was something the whole family could enjoy,” Helen says. “I wanted this to be a place for people to come for first dates, family gatherings, anniversaries, or any occasion. It’s been very special for Brian and me, and humbling when you see birth announcements and proposals and baby’s first pumpkin patch. I consider it a special honor that we hosted three families that took photos, and we were the last place they visited together before someone in their photo passed away.”
WHEN YOU GO
From a pumpkin patch, hay rides, axe throwing, and archery to live music and food trucks, visitors can enjoy a wide array of activities at the fall festival, which runs through October 30. What makes the Robinson Family Farm unique, Helen says, is that unlike other farm festivals, all activities except pumpkins, food, and drinks are included in the ticket price. “You’re not paying extra for axe throwing or corn cannons or $5 a bucket for apples. Even axe throwing, you could pay well over our ticket price to throw axes for an hour at other venues.”
Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the online discount—tickets are $15.95 online and $19.95 at the gate. When it comes to a typical trip, Helen says, “Most people, if they can stand the heat, stay anywhere from two to four hours.”
This year, festival-goers can look forward to new offerings like a zip line, chainsaw wood carver, pumpkin carver, Skee-Ball, pig races, and the Tangled Creek Wine and Biergarten. The biggest change is their new location in Temple. Helen says the decision to move was driven by the festival’s growth; “At times, we had people backed up for miles with an hour wait. That’s not the experience we want for our customers.”
And while festival crowds may be overwhelming for newcomers, the Robinsons hope guests will recognize that the Robinson Family Farm is still a small business happily rooted in the Temple community.
“We are still Brian and Helen Robinson. We’re still local. We’re not a big company—we’re a thriving small business trying to support and enjoy our community and give them something to enjoy.”