This North Carolina Farm Has Christmas Light Hayrides And A Famous 10 Layer Chocolate Cake

Ten layers of golden cake with cooked chocolate icing are enough to make me reconsider every promise I have ever made about saving room for dessert.

Then I find out the same North Carolina farm sends tractor-pulled wagons through 1.5 miles of Christmas lights every holiday season.

Now the evening has my full attention.

The ride rolls past glowing scenes while familiar Christmas music plays, and a live nativity adds a quieter moment along the route.

What gets me is how much this family farm manages to fit into one country stop without making any of it feel rushed.

Dinner can stretch into shopping, the animals may steal a few minutes, and somehow that famous cake is still waiting at the end.

My strategy is already obvious. See the lights first.

Then approach layer number ten with confidence.

Hop On The Wagon For 1.5 Miles Of Glowing Holiday Scenes

A big tractor, a wagon full of hay, and a trail glowing with Christmas cheer. That’s the Festival of Lights Hayride at Mike’s Farm, and it’s the farm’s biggest holiday draw.

The ride lasts about 30 minutes and winds through 1.5 miles of lighted scenes. Classic Christmas music plays along the way, so humming is basically required.

You’ll pass traditional Christmas stories, patriotic displays, and plenty of playful farm-themed scenes. Some displays even feature race cars and helicopters, which feels very on brand for a tractor crowd.

Past holiday rides have also included a live nativity scene, adding a traditional touch to the glowing route. It gives the ride a sweet, meaningful touch between all the sparkle.

Hayrides run nightly during the holiday season, usually from mid-November until just before Christmas. A couple of bonus dates have also popped up right after the holiday.

Hayride-only tickets don’t need a reservation, which makes spontaneous plans easy. Still, it’s smart to check the season’s schedule before heading out.

Dress warmer than you think you need. Eastern North Carolina nights can get chilly, and an open wagon offers zero heating options.

A blanket and a cup of something hot will make you look like a pro.

Your Group Can Grab A Private Mini Wagon

Sharing a wagon with strangers is part of the fun for some folks. For others, a private ride with just their crew sounds a lot better.

Good news for the second group. Mike’s Farm offers private mini wagons during the Festival of Lights season, and each one holds up to eight guests.

That size works nicely for a family, a grandparent outing, or a few friends who sing carols loudly and slightly off-key. Nobody has to know about the off-key part.

A private wagon also gives you more room to point, laugh, and snap photos without leaning over someone’s shoulder. Little kids can react to every light display at full volume.

These mini wagons follow the same glowing route as the larger hayride. You still get the music, the lighted scenes, and the live nativity.

Since private options are limited, booking ahead makes sense. Holiday weeks fill up fast at popular spots like this.

Think of it as your own little sleigh, just with wheels and a tractor up front. Honestly, Santa might be a tiny bit jealous of the setup.

Ten Layers Of Cake Deserve Your Full Attention

Most cakes stop at two or three layers. The Old Fashioned 10 Layer Chocolate Cake at Mike’s Farm keeps going, and going, and going.

Each of the ten thin layers is golden cake. Between them sits an old-timey cooked chocolate icing, the kind many Southern families connect with holiday tables.

Stacking ten thin layers takes serious patience. That’s part of why this style of cake feels so special in Southern baking.

The cake has earned attention from Our State Magazine, which knows a thing or two about North Carolina food. That’s a pretty sweet badge for a farm bakery.

You can grab a slice right at the farm and enjoy it on the spot. Want the full tower?

You can pre-order a whole cake to take home.

A whole cake makes a strong showing at a holiday gathering. Expect people to ask where it came from.

My advice is simple. Pair a slice with your hayride night, and you’ve built a near-perfect December evening.

Counting the layers before eating is optional, but it’s tempting.

More Than Twenty Kinds Of Fudge Make Choosing Tricky

Fair warning: the bakery case is not built for quick decisions. Mike’s Farm makes more than twenty kinds of fudge, and they all sit there looking at you.

The bakery doesn’t stop at fudge. Apple turnovers, danishes, and cookies share the spotlight with that famous layer cake.

Everything here is homemade, which fits the farm’s whole spirit. It feels like a country kitchen that simply grew bigger over the years.

The bakery sits alongside the gift shop, so treats and shopping go hand in hand. You might come in for a candle and leave with three fudge flavors.

Fudge also travels well, which makes it a handy gift. Teachers, neighbors, and coworkers rarely complain about chocolate showing up.

Planning a holiday visit? Grab a box before or after your hayride so you’re not stuck deciding in a rush.

A small sampler approach works great for families. Let each person pick one flavor, then trade bites on the drive home.

It’s a delicious way to settle arguments about who chose best, though nobody ever really wins.

Pass The Fried Chicken Like It’s Sunday Dinner

Bowls of food land on your table, and everybody passes them around. The restaurant at Mike’s Farm serves an all-you-can-eat, family-style Southern meal that feels like a big relative’s house.

The menu stays the same every day. You’ll get fried chicken, pork loin with gravy, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, and corn.

Country ham biscuits kick things off. Beverages and dessert are included, so nobody has to fuss over extra orders.

Seconds are part of the deal. Pace yourself, because dessert is still coming and it would be a shame to miss it.

The dining room adds plenty of charm. Antiques, photos, and local trinkets cover the walls, giving the space a rustic, homey feel.

Regular dinner service operates without reservations, while holiday dinner-and-hayride packages require advance booking. Many 2026 holiday reservations are already filled, although occasional cancellations may open additional spaces.

To-go meals are also available if you’d rather eat elsewhere. Still, eating here is half the fun.

There’s something cozy about passing biscuits across the table before heading out to see the lights.

This Barn Brings North Carolina’s Local Makers Together

North Carolina has 100 counties. The NC Products Barn at Mike’s Farm aims to represent every single one of them.

That’s an ambitious goal, and it makes for very fun browsing. Shelves hold specialty coffee, handcrafted foods, pottery, and jams and jellies.

This barn is a newer addition to the farm. It celebrates the artisans and producers who make the Tar Heel State so varied.

Holiday shopping gets much easier here. A jar of local jam or a piece of pottery feels more personal than another gift card.

The farm actually has more than one shopping barn. The main gift shop sits nearby, so you can easily make a loop between them.

Shopping also fills time nicely before dinner or a hayride. Wandering shelves beats checking your phone in the parking lot.

Here’s a smart idea for visitors from outside North Carolina. Pick up a few items as souvenirs that actually taste good or look nice on a shelf.

A mug or jar of jelly will remind you of the trip long after the lights come down.

Bring Quarters Because The Animals Are Waiting

Goats know exactly what a handful of corn means. At Mike’s Farm, the animal area gives kids and grown-ups a chance to feed some very eager farm residents.

Coin machines dispense dried corn for feeding. So tuck some quarters into your pocket before you leave home.

The farm keeps a nice mix of animals. Cows and goats are the stars, and the friendly crowd also includes ducks, chickens, and other feathered characters.

Feeding time makes a great break between meals and shopping. Little ones get to burn off energy while parents enjoy the fresh country air.

The animal area is open during regular farm hours. That means you can visit in daylight before the evening hayride begins.

Holiday visits work especially well this way. Spend the afternoon with the animals, eat an early dinner, then catch the lights after dark.

Wash hands after feeding, especially before digging into fudge. Corn dust and chocolate don’t make the best combo.

And if a goat gives you a hopeful look after the corn runs out, well, that’s what extra quarters are for.

Pumpkins, Strawberries, And A Spooky Ride Fill The Rest Of The Year

Christmas lights steal the show in winter. The rest of the calendar at Mike’s Farm stays plenty busy, too.

Spring brings strawberry picking, which is about as wholesome as weekends get. Easter egg hunts add extra fun for young kids.

Fall might be the farm’s second-biggest season. Pumpkin patch hayrides carry visitors straight into the fields to pick their own pumpkin.

October also brings Saturdays on the Farm, featuring magic shows and live music. In past seasons, the farm has also offered a haunted hayride for visitors looking for a few extra thrills.

Each season gives families a fresh reason to come back. Some folks treat the farm like a yearly tradition, visiting for berries, pumpkins, and lights.

Events change with the calendar, so check the schedule before you go. Dates and details can shift from year to year.

My favorite idea is a full-year challenge. Visit once in spring, once in fall, and once for the holiday hayride.

You’ll see the same farm wear three totally different outfits, and you’ll probably end up with a lot of fudge along the way.

A Family Tobacco Farm Grew Into Something Much Sweeter

Back in 1945, Jess L. Lowe and his wife, Lucille, bought a small farm in the Back Swamp community, where they raised four children and grew vegetables and other crops.

They raised four children there, along with corn, vegetables, and farm animals.

In the mid-1980s, Mike and his wife Theresa began working the land again. Their first side venture was growing Christmas trees, which fits the holiday story perfectly.

Little by little, the farm grew. A small gift shop came first, then a full-service bakery and a restaurant followed.

Through every change, the goal stayed simple. Mike and Theresa wanted a warm, wholesome family atmosphere for every visitor.

Today Mike’s Farm is known as an original agritourism farm in the Onslow County area. You’ll find it at 1600 Haw Branch Rd, Beulaville, NC 28518, out in the quiet North Carolina countryside.

Outside special holiday events, the gift shop and bakery operate Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant typically serves dinner Thursday through Saturday, but seasonal hours vary.

So check before you drive. Then come see how a family farm grew into one of North Carolina’s Christmas traditions.