Small Business Spotlight on Mark’s Melon Patch

If you haven’t made it out to Mark’s Melon Patch, now’s the time, especially with the cool fall weather finally here! Located in Sasser, Georgia, which is just a short drive from Albany, this family-owned and operated farm is a popular spot full of exciting activities that the whole family can enjoy.

The Daniel Family

Mark Daniel, founder and owner of the farm, has had a love for gardening since he was a young boy. He would help his father Tom and his Uncle John on the family farm. Mark turned that love for gardening into a 5-acre watermelon patch at just 17 years old; selling his melons under the pecan tree that still resides in front of the patch today. What started as a small melon business has turned into a 90-acre property, growing produce including peanuts, pumpkins, sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupes and scuppernongs. Now, Mark’s own family, which includes his four children, come out to help on the farm when they’re home during the fall and summer. Seeing his children grow up on the farm is truly special to Mark, as he and his own sisters spent their early years on the farm, just yards away from where his life’s work is now.

Fall Activities and Family-Friendly Fun

Get ready to have the perfect farm adventure this fall at Mark’s Melon Patch with their array of exciting activities! The fall festivities are available from September 27th to October 26th on Saturdays and Sundays. Try your luck at the corn maze, featuring 2 ½ miles of trail that goes through a 5-acre corn maze, or make it spookier by doing the flashlight corn maze experience, available on select nights and starting at dusk. This experience includes roasting s’mores and watching a family-friendly movie at the 100-year-old barn on-site. Other daytime activities include pumpkin painting, face painting, pumpkin bowling, a farm-themed playground, Mark’s triple decker monster slide, an animal exhibit, a gigantic jump pad and so much more! You can add on a pumpkin chunkin' experience where you get to chuck a pumpkin straight across the farm with the pumpkin chunkin' cannon! Another popular activity is the nighttime jack-o-lantern hayride, where you get to take a spooky hayride through the pumpkin patch.

Delicious Homemade Bites

During your farm adventure, make sure to stop by the farm market to grab a bite to eat! They sell everything from jellies and preserves to hot dogs and BBQ sandwiches. If you have a sweet tooth, give their apple pie or homemade ice cream, in vanilla, peach, strawberry or butter pecan, a try! They also have fresh boiled peanuts, the perfect snack to eat on the car ride home from a day of fun.

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Visit Albany Staff