“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Great Gatsby”

Fall time can be super fun without needing to use substances. There are lots of family-friendly fall activities that you can partake in. This includes activities such as:

• Visiting a pumpkin patch
• Pumpkin picking
• Pumpkin carving
• Apple picking
• Hiking - see the fall foliage
• Go through a corn maze
• Fall crafts 

All of these activities are family-friendly and you do not need to use any substances to make these activities fun. You can do these things as a couple or with your whole family. There are lots of fun activities to partake in during the fall season!

Visiting a Pumpkin Patch

An enjoyable activity to do outside during the fall season is going to a pumpkin patch. If you are in the Woburn, Massachusetts area these are a couple of the local pumpkin patches you can visit:

• Krochmal Farms
• Smolak Farms
• Connors Farm

At each of these farms you and/or your family can walk around the farm and view what is happening or you can go pumpkin picking. Find the best looking pumpkin and take it home with you. When visiting these farms you can go pumpkin picking and use the pumpkin to make homemade pumpkin treats. You can also use these pumpkins to make jack-o-lanterns to decorate outside for Halloween. 

Krochmal Farms

At Krochmal Farms they run an annual fall pumpkin festival which is open to their surrounding area. They are located at 31 Jennie’s Way, Tewksbury, MA, 01876. Krochmal Farms has been a staple to the local Massachusetts agriculture. During this fall pumpkin festival, they offer activities such as—picking your own pumpkins, horse-drawn hay rides, pony rides, a corn maze, an agricultural exhibit, and animal exhibits. The corn maze wraps around the whole festival so you will be able to view it when you enter the farm. They also offer a snack shack so if you plan to be at the farm for most of the day you can stop by and enjoy some of their delicious snacks.

Smolak Farms

Smolak Farms has been around for 50 years and they are a working farm which combines education, agriculture, and entertainment in their own unique way. Their location is 315 South Bradford Street, North Andover, MA 01845. During weekends in September and October they offer fall festival weekends. At these fall festival weekends they have activities such as

• Apple picking
• Live entertainment
• An animal area
• Themed story and crafts
• A kids carnival
• Hay rides

They also have their famous apple cider donuts, seasonal menu items with a tent and bar area. Each weekend festival offers a different theme with unique activities and events. You can even pick your own apples daily at Smolak Farms. 

Connors Farm

Connors Farm not only offers fall activities and festivals they also offer summer activities and festivals. During the fall season they have a 7 acre corn maze along with farm themed play areas. They have four types of tickets that you can purchase which include: 

• Fall Daytime Weekday General Admission
• Fall Daytime Weekend & Holiday General Admission
• Apple Bag
• Gem Stone Mining

The Apple Bag ticket includes either 1 peck or a ½ peck. If you choose the 1 peck option it includes about 25 apples good for 2 people. If you choose ½ peck option it includes about 12 apples good for 1 person. The Gem Stone ticket allows you to be able to sift through a bag of treasure in the Connors Farm flowing sluice. This allows you to find and identify genuine gemstones and is a great activity for all ages.

Have a Substance Free Fall Family Gathering

Do not let substance use problems affect your life. There is help out there and people care about you having a healthy state of mind. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Taking part in these fall family-friendly activities that do not require substance use can provide you with a good time. You do not need to take substances in order to have a fun time during any season.

It is always a good idea to approach the issue of substance use with extreme caution. You want to show them that you care without judging them. If you or a family member is experiencing substance use problems and wants to recover, there are places around to help. One of which is the Northeast Health Services that can help with any mental health struggles. You or your family member does not have to suffer alone and taking part in these fall activities that do not require substance use can be a way to help them. The Northeast Health Services have multiple locations in Massachusetts. The experts here are committed to providing care and resources for you or your family so that way you can live a healthier and happier life. 

If you are in the Woburn, Massachusetts area another mental health resource is LifeStance Health which used to be called Child & Family Psychological Services. By changing their name to LifeStance Health it allows for the alignment of their brand with their parent company. Their parent company is a national leader in mental, behavioral, and emotional wellness. LifeStance Health has locations across 26 states with more than 3,000 mental health professionals, all with the same goal of improving the lives of the extraordinary people they serve. At LifeStance Health they treat numerous mental health problems which include:

• ADHD
• Anxiety Disorders
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder 
• Depression 
• Eating Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Separation Anxiety
• Sleep Disorders
• Social Anxiety
• Tourette Syndrome & Tic Disorders
• And more…

If you feel like you are suffering from one or more of these mental health problems your first step would be to find a mental health professional to identify if you have a problem and give you a proper diagnosis. You may be trying to self treat by taking substances but that is not the right way to go about treatment. Places such as the Northeast Health Services and LifeStance Health are proper resources to help with any mental health issue. 

Mindfulness and Mental Health

There is a connection of mindfulness and mental health. This is because lots of mental health resources talk about mindfulness and how it can aid in improving mental health. It is super important to take care of yourself and your mind. If you are struggling with things like depression or anxiety it can be a natural instinct to retreat inwards and get trapped in your own head. 

A way to help yourself get out of your head would be to focus on practicing mindfulness. Now practicing mindfulness is not a treatment for these mental health issues but it is a coping mechanism that can help you deal with the issue until you are able to get help. This is because it allows you to find something else to focus on and be distracted by so you do not turn inward and get trapped in your thoughts. 

Conclusion

Keep in mind there is help if you have a problem. It is possible to have fun without needing to take substances. There are lots of fun and entertainly fall family-friendly activities you can take part in without substances being involved. Go out and enjoy time with your family during the fall season!