Modern Americans may associate fall with going back to school, cooler temperatures or leaves changing colors, but the season was originally all about the harvest.‘Tis the season to pick some apples or find that perfect pumpkin, and being the Flower City, Rochester and its surrounding communities is full of farms loaded with family-friendly fall fun. Note that this isn't a comprehensive list of all the local farms; if your favorite didn't make the list, share it at rochestercitynewspaper.com.

As kids, my brother and I grew our own pumpkins in a field behind our house with some help from our grandparents. But when the frost got to them, Nana and Poppa would take us over to Bauman's Farm in Webster (1340 Five Mile Line Rd., 671-2820) to pick out pumpkins to carve for Halloween. Everyone's got their own criteria (I prefer plump, round pumpkins), and Bauman's prides itself on having a wide variety - something owner Jim Bauman says has actually gotten even better this year. "A lot of times it's too wet, but this year's crop is as close to perfect as you get, I think," he says. "It's been a while since we've had the perfect combination of rain and warm weather."

Another popular pumpkin patch in our area is Gro-Moore Farms (2811 E Henrietta Road, 359-3310, gromoore.com), which is also home to a petting zoo, train rides, mini golf, a haunted house, and a corn maze. You can also run up and down aisle after aisle of perfect orange orbs at Penfield's Wickham Farms (1821 Fairport Nine Mile Point Road, 377-3276, wickhamfarms.com), Chase Farms Market in Fairport (459 Pannell Road, 315-986-4013, chasefarmsmarket.com), Cobble Creek Farm (5161 Ridge Road in Spencerport, 352-8484, cobblecreekfarm.net) and Stokoe Farms (656 South Road, in Scottsville, 889-0770, stokoefarms.com).

Running through a pumpkin patch doesn't always tucker the kids out, so try letting them loose in the corn field. Many local farms have huge mazes cut into their acres of stalks - think crop circles, but more terrestrial and way more fun. On a recent trip to Long Acre Farms (1342 Eddy Rd., Macedon, 315-986-4202, longacrefarms.com), several pictures on the wall reminded me just how long it had been since I'd tried to find my way through what they call the "Amazing Maize Maze."

Hidden in the corn, or as Native Americans called it, maize (get the pun?), are 12 mailboxes with pieces of a map to lead you through the trails. If you're up for a slightly spookier challenge, you can try to find your way in the dark on one of the Moonlight Maze nights, every Friday and Saturday in October (no moonlight hours Saturday, October 16). While you're there, be sure to check out the corn cannon, petting zoo and bouncy pillow. By that time you'll be ready for a homemade fry cake and cider slushie - tart and refreshing!

Some other great corn fields to get lost in include the "Clue"-themed one at Zarpentine Farms in Hilton (163 Burritt Road, 392-3611, zarpentinefarm.com), the pirate-themed on the relatively new Country Way Corn Maze (2755 Penfield Road., 944-6459, countrywaycornmaze.com) and the mazes at Cobble Creek Farm and Wickham Farm.

Another common thread among most of these farms is the fresh produce they sell, including crisp, delicious New York apples. A few places even let you pick your own. Wickham Farms puts ripe produce out on wooden tree cutouts for kids to pluck easily, but if you want to go out into the fields, try The Apple Farm in Victor (1640 State Route 444, 924-3420, thevictorapplefarm.com). Pick your own Red Delicious, Empire, and Spartan apples daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. One of the farm's warm apple tarts and a glass of fresh-made cider is the perfect end to a visit.

For me, there was only one place my family went for cider in Rochester: Schutt's Apple Mill in Webster (1063 Plank Road, 872-2924, schuttsapplemill.com). Mom would grab a few gallons of cider and some cinnamon donuts, while my brother and I nibbled on homemade rock candy and pet the store's rabbits. The store, which has been run by the Schutt family since 1916, also sells pumpkins and gourds in shapes and colors you didn't know nature could produce.

Out in Hilton, Kelly's Farm Market & Bakery (611 Old Wilder Road, 392-8102, kellysfarmmarket.com) is renowned for its crumb-crust apple pie, but you can buy all kinds of amazing baked goods in its barn store. Or you can make some yourself with the apples you pick in the orchard out back.

So take in those distinctly fall scents, enjoy a few fried cakes and some warm cider and get lost in a corn, apple, or pumpkin field. Because before you know it, the leaves will have fallen and winter will be here.