Love alpacas and mini-animals? Take a trip to Winchester Creek Farm in Waynesville, NC for a fun day trip with your family!
Media tickets were provided for this review, which was updated in January 2024.
The drive up to Winchester Creek Farm in Waynesville, NC is probably worth the trip alone. The beautiful scenery of mountain peaks and valleys, eventually wind their way to the feet of the Smoky Mountains, where the farm is situated. Winchester Creek Farm, about a 90-minute trip from the South Carolina Upstate, has alpacas and many miniature animals like cows, horses, and donkeys, as well as super fluffy sheep and an adorable little Juliana pig.
Ever have an Asian Pear? They are incredibly delicious, juicy, and a must-try fruit. Pilot Mountain Pears has acres and acres of them available for u-pick this fall in Hendersonville, NC.
I have been obsessed with Asian pears for years and get ridiculously excited whenever I see them in grocery stores or farmers’ markets. They are generally light brown in color with the texture of an apple and a crunchy but juicy center- like the kind of juicy where you bite in and the juice runs down your arm – that kind of tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear.
If you’re also a fan of Asian Pears, you might be wondering, “Is there any place with u-pick Asian Pears? Or any Asian Pear picking near me?”
Yep!
At Pilot Mountain Pears in Hendersonville, NC, and only an hour from Greenville, SC, not only can you buy these wonderful fruits but also pick them your self. You’ll definitely want to add this orchard to your fall adventures!
They open for the 2025 season on Friday, August 15th.
About Pilot Mountain Pears
The orchard is owned and run by the Laughter (pronounced LAW-DER) family. I met Beth and her husband, Davi,d and they showed me around the orchard, the little shop, and the packing barn. David really loves Asian pears and he planted about 1,000 of the trees more than a decade ago and just kept replacing the apple trees with Asian pear trees until that’s pretty much all they grow now.
The couple are both locals and have been married for 27 years. They have two grown children who help out on the farm when they are home but mostly, it’s Beth and David who are the driving force behind the orchard. They’ve done a lot on the farm in terms of making a fun u-pick experience for guests since they first opened to the public three years ago and word has spread almost solely through word of mouth about how amazing their Asian pears are.
Asian pears ripen on the tree
Why Asian Pears Are So Amazing
I love apples just as much as the next person but Asian pears are on a whole other level. The Asian pears come from a tree native to East Asia and were originally eaten by the rich, noble people of China. Around 1850, the exotic fruit was brought to America by Chinese laborers. There are hundreds of varieties and you may hear them called apple pears, sand pears, Japanese pears, or Korean pears.
The pears aren’t like regular pears that are literally ripe for ten minutes and then turn to mush. Asian pears last a lot longer, especially if you refrigerate them. They are juicy and sweet and delicious and crunchy. They are usually ripe when they turn a little past light brown but can also be eaten when they have a green color to them or light brown.
U-Pick at Pilot Mountain
With 5,000 Asian pear trees at Pilot Mountain Pears, you’ll have plenty of fruit to choose from. The farm grows mostly Olympic Asian pears, which are huge.
When you arrive at the farm, you’ll see the orchard store. Park there and you can go get a wagon or bag and if you’re really brave, you can grab a pick stick (a very long stick with a metal cage at the top to pick the highest fruit on the trees – also known as long swords for kids).
You’ll be directed where to start your picking. Once you’re done, you go back to the store, where your amazing Asian pears will be weighed and you will pay for your goodies.
They also sell fried apple pies like apple turnovers, apple slushies, and pear juice. I tried the Asian pear juice and whoa. Like, major whoa. This was the sweetest, but not too sweet, tangy, but not too tangy, most refreshing drink. You’ll want to drink it straight from the container.
The store also has really cute tumblers, hats, pottery, shirts, and other fun stuff that you’ll probably want to take home to remember your awesome experience at Pilot Mountain Pears.
Visiting Pilot Mountain Pears
The orchard opens to the public Friday, August 15, 2025 and will be open until October 12th. Hours are Fridays-Sundays from 10 am – 5 pm. Follow Pilot Mountain Pears on Facebook and check before you go to make sure they are sticking to their regular hours.
Prices for u-pick Asian pears are market price/pound. You can also purchase pre-picked pears. Admission to the u-pick orchard is $2/adult.
Farm store
No pets are allowed in the orchard. There are porta-potties on the property.
And if you want to hang out and eat all your Asian pears, fried apple pies, or drink your slushies, there are picnic tables behind the farm store that overlook the orchard with mountains on the horizon. It’s gorgeous.
Nearby Things to Do
Making a day trip to Hendersonville is one of our most favorite activities, so we have plenty of options for a fun day trip there:
Black Bear Fall Tubing
Go tubing down a giant hill at Black Bear Snow Tubing – but without the snow (that’ll come in the winter). Read our full review for all the details.
Hike Bearwallow Mountain
Bearwallow Mountain is easily one of our favorite family hikes because it’s not that hard and the views are unbeatable. It’s a 2-mile roundtrip hike and you get 360-degree views of the mountains. Bring up some Asian pears for a snack.
Bearwallow Mountain Summit
Play with Llamas
Ellaberry Llama Farm is super close to Pilot Mountain Pears and you can take a llama through an obstacle course or go on a hike with them. We love this farm!
No story on Hendersonville is complete without me telling you that you can play with the goats at the Carl Sandburg Home for free. It’s a beautiful place for a hike as well.
Eat at the Village Bakery
This small eatery in nearby Flat Rock has some pretty fantastic brick oven pizza and salads. They close at 5 pm so be sure to get there before closing. If they have any bread left over on their Day Old Bread shelf, grab it because it’s 50% off.
Elf Leaf Farm is the only lavender farm in Greenville County, SC and their u-pick lavender field is beautiful with views of the mountains. Lavender season is upon us and we’ve got all the details on how to experience this incredible farm with your family in Greenville, SC.
The family love is strong at Elf Leaf Farm in Landrum, South Carolina, just a 35-minute drive from Greenville, SC in the Upstate. The farm is run by Allison and Derek Garrett and their children. Their two youngest daughters, Deirdre and Georgia, are bubbly, cheerful and welcoming and I immediately wanted to be their best friend. They are really fun!
Elf Leaf, which is Scottish term for “lavender” (a nod to Derek’s side of the family), is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, anchored by the prettiest farmhouse I’ve ever seen and built on land owned by the Campbell family. If you’re familiar with Campbell’s Covered Bridge, that’s the same family. The bridge is actually just a few minutes away from Elf Leaf Farm.
But let’s get back to the lavender, which is oh-so-gorgeous, and in season during the month of June. I’ll tell you all about how you pick your own lavender plus enjoy the special offerings of the family trade right at the farm.
Elf Leaf Farm’s Roots
Every farm has roots and Elf Leaf’s run deep as the land was part of the Campbell family for many, many years. When Allison and Derek started thinking about retirement, they wanted a farm. Derek always loved farming and Allison always loved soap-making. I promise this is relevant.
Derek was working at the Oconee nuclear plant and would drive home to Greer a different way most days, checking out various farms and properties along the way. When he found the current property that is now Elf Leaf Farm, the couple knew they had found home. They purchased about 48 acres in 2016 and then later added two more acres later on.
As one of only two lavender farms in the Upstate, I had to know why lavender was the crop of choice. It’s because Allison just loves lavender and made soap with it for years and years. She made a lot. And it took up a lot of space at home and while she did sell it at local farmers markets and at The Shoppes Off Trade in Greer, she kind of needed a bigger space. And more lavender of course. And that’s how lavender became the focus on the farm.
Elf Leaf Farm
Lavender is not native to South Carolina and is very, very hard to grow. Allison and her family really had to figure out how to dig deeper in the Southern soil, past the red clay to make it work. They attended lavender conferences (yes, there’s such a thing) and talked to other lavender farmers and eventually, after a lot of trial and error, were able to grow some pretty spectacular lavender plants.
Events at Elf Leaf Farm
While u-pick lavender is certainly the focus of Elf Leaf Farm in June – and the family is truly all hands on deck during this time since it’s the only time of year to harvest – the farm also has a huge permanent tent to host events like weddings, corporate lunches or dinners, or whatever other things that people may want to do at a lavender farm.
They even have two separate cottages for a bride and groom and the view from the tent is directly at the mountains. Flowers and blueberries and more lavender are planted around the farm and Deirdre and Georgia have big plans for hosting people throughout the year at the farm.
For 2025, will be live music, prepaid picnic lunches available, lavender wand making on Wednesdays, and each Friday, there will be Fairies in the Fields for little ones to enjoy, along with much more!
Picked lavender at Elf Leaf Farm
These ladies are a lot of fun to be around and if their events are anything like their personalities, they are going to be awesome. Deirdre actually went to acting school and lived in Brooklyn, New York for awhile and in 2016, she did the most Brooklyn thing ever and went home to help on the family farm. When the pandemic hit, she started working there full-time. Her and her family are so invested not only in the farm but in each other and that shines through in how they run the farm. Southern Hospitality runs deep here!
2025 U-Pick Lavender
The lavender fields at Elf Leaf Farm will be open to the public these dates from 9 am – 4 pm:
Tuesday, June 3 – Sunday, June 8, 2025
Tuesday, June 10 – Sunday, June 15, 2025
Tuesday, June 17 – Sunday, June 22, 2025
Tuesday, June 24 – Sunday, June 29, 2025
There is no admission to Elf Leaf Farm for u-pick dates but there is a $5 parking fee per car. They take cash or card. Also, if you pre-register for one of the events or classes, the ticket comes with a free parking pass.
When you go u-pick lavender, you only pay for your lavender, which are sold in 2 inch bundles for around $8. You get shears and a beautiful basket to go pick your lavender.
Picking lavender at Elf Leaf Farm
If you’re a family who would just love from family photos in a lavender field, that’s possible! There is a $50/hour charge to use the field for professional photography. You can contact the farm to arrange your amazing lavender photo session.
Lots of Lavender Products
The first place I went when I got to the farm after meeting Derek was the Elf Leaf store. Oh my gosh, I thought I went to heaven. The scent of this little shop was perfection. I really didn’t want to leave. I only left because my new best friends, Deirdre and Georgia, promised my kids and I lavender brownies and iced tea at the farmhouse.
Lavender products in the store
The shop is small but mighty. They have everything you can think of that involves lavender: tea, lotion, lavender coffee, lavender scone mix, lavender simple syrup, soap (the soap is always involved), lavender honey right from the bees on the farm, dried lavender, and just so many other things. They also have tea towels, local pottery, and even a lavender cookbook. It’s pretty amazing. Take your time. Smell the lavender, buy some stuff.
You can also find Elf Leaf’s products at the Landrum farmers market or buy directly online if you happen to need more lavender things (which you probably will).
In 2024, they offered lavender ice cream and lavender-lemon soda and strawberry-rhubarb soda. We had the ice cream and the lavender-lemon soda and whoa, they were delicious! We hope they are available this season!
Lavender ice cream and soda
Tips on Visiting Elf Leaf Farm
To make the most of your visit at Elf Leaf, we have some suggestions:
Leave your pets at home. The farm does not allow them.
Wear sunscreen and a hat. It’s hot and lavender likes full sun, hence you’ll be in full South Carolina summer sun.
Bring lunch or snacks. The farm is a beautiful place to hang out.
Wear closed-toed shoes. It’s a farm and there are ants and bugs and other things you don’t want on your feet.
They are able to help people in wheelchairs into the lavender field.
Follow the directions of the staff. There are certain plants you can pick from and others you cannot. Just be courteous and follow directions.
The farmhouse is private. As much as you’d probably like to live in the farmhouse on the property, it’s the private property of the Garrett family so don’t go and invite yourself in.
There are beautiful bathroom facilities at Elf Leaf Farm so don’t worry if your kid needs to take a potty break!
After your visit, dip your toes in the water at Campbell’s Covered Bridge, just three minutes from the farm. It feels great!
Greyrock Farms is moving locations in 2024. They will not be open Fall 2024.
Fall is here and it’s time to head to a local farm for a corn maze, hayride and more! Local mom Kristina visited Greyrock Farms in Moore and is giving us all the details here. This local farm includes multiple corn mazes, fresh produce and pumpkins, and a working dairy farm!
Corn maze scary fun at night, kid family fun at the farm during the day is exactly what Greyrock Farms and Green Acres Produce is all about. With one of the last remaining dairy farms in the Upstate, they have a farm stand with fresh produce and fruit from April through October, and the Fall is all about pumpkins, dairy tours, and old-fashioned fun on the farm.
One of the great things I really loved about Greyrock Farms is that it is the perfect size to let your kids run around where you keep an eye on them. For no cost, the farm has playgrounds, swings, and different play structures made out of typical things you’d find a farm.
They have parking on-site, just follow the signs. The largest sign you will see when you pull up is for “Green Acres Produce” – that’s the place you are looking for. Also, be sure to wear sneakers or closed toe shoes. It’s a farm where there are ants and other crawly things so just be prepared.
Corn Maze & Dairy Tours at Greyrock Farms
If you really want to get lost in the six-acre corn maze (which is fairly easy to do), it’s $8/person and kids under two are free. You can also tour the dairy farm for $6/person and see a cow getting milked and check out all the baby cows. The tour is conducted on a hayride and ends at the pumpkin patch, where you can pick your own pumpkin right off the vine. Tours are Saturdays at 10 am and 2 pm and Sundays at 2 pm.
If you want to do both the tour and the corn maze, it’s $12/person and kids two and under are free. There are actually two corn mazes – a smaller one and a big one – which is great for kids of all ages to choose from.
Nighttime corn maze entertainment happens every Friday and Saturday night in October until 9 pm. But you have to bring your own flashlight!
Birthday Parties & Group Fun at Greyrock Farms
If your child has a fall birthday, Greyrock Farms is a perfect venue to host a party. They have a huge picnic shelter right in the middle of the big play area so kids can enjoy the farm and celebrate the birthday child.
The Standard Dairy Farm Birthday Package includes an hour shelter reservation, wagon ride and dairy tour and costs $150 for 12 children ($8/each additional child). The Ultimate Dairy Farm Package includes everything on the standard package plus goody bags, cow train, and paper products and decorations. That package is $200 for 12 kids ($10/each additional child).
If you want to go all out, choose the Cooowww-riffic Dairy Farm Package which includes everything in the aforementioned parties plus a cow cake, 12 cupcakes and ice cream cups, and a baby calf at the party that can be bottle fed by guests (awwww!). This package is $250 for 12 kids ($12/each additional child). All packages include a party hostess, set up and breakdown, and access to the play areas. Parents are free to bring food, ice cream and cake.
The farm also hosts lots of church groups and field trips over the fall as well. The corn maze especially sees lots of activity for group outings (and it makes a great date activity, especially at night!). They will even do a big bonfire if your group wants to really get in the fall spirit.
Greyrock Farms is ideal for family fun during the fall but don’t forget they also have strawberry picking come April. That’s actually how I first heard of them – my oldest daughter had a field trip there one spring to pick strawberries. They were absolutely delicious and I was delighted to learn about all the activities the farm has for families in the fall season. They are open through the end of October so be sure to put this great farm on your fall bucket list.
Visit Greyrock Farms
Greyrock Farms & Green Acres Produce
5750 Anderson Mill Road, Moore
864.576.2784
Looking for a fall event that your whole family is sure to enjoy? Check out Greyrock Farms Second Annual Fall Farm Day! Enjoy a family fun day on the farm! During fall farm day there will be hayrides, pumpkin picking, playground fun, inflatables, kids crafts, games and more!
October 6th 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Visit the Greyrock Farms & Green Acres Produce Facebook page.
Seasonal farm hours:
Monday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday 1 pm – 6 pm
Fridays and Saturdays in October – open until 9 pm
Has your family visited a local farm yet this fall?
