Squeals of laughter and the scent of hay filled the air as children raced through the corn maze, picked out pumpkins nearly as big as they were, and enjoyed rides at the annual fall festival at Swank Farms—a beloved South Valley tradition marking the start of the annual Halloween holiday season.
Swank Farms Corn Maze—located north of Hollister on Highway 156—has become a favorite Family Fall Fun Destination in the Bay Area and even beyond for 25 years, slowly expanding since then to include the 9-acre corn maze, a sunflower field, 2-acre pumpkin patch, games and rides, live music, feed farm animals, plenty of photo opportunities, face painting, a trail of lights and terror in the corn at night and food that’s more than regular carnival fare.
Salinas residents James and Nicole Dutra recently brought their son Cash Dutra, 9, and daughter Kennedy Dutra, 7, to the farm for the first time in a few years.
“My son’s a freak for Halloween,” James said. “Since he was a little boy he’s just loved the holiday.”
Kennedy said she “likes the slide a lot because it goes straight down and there’s a bump at the bottom,” Cash said.
“I like going fast,” she said.
The siblings tried it at least three times before heading for the nearby inflatable slide.
Rick Alarcon brought his 4-year-old daughter Azaleah Gallegos for the first time.
“I just want her to have a good time,” he said.
Swank Farms has a history in San Benito County going back decades.
William Magini came back from war to where he was born (San Benito County) and married Viola Kruz. He bought a modest piece of land and grew prunes, apricots, peaches and walnuts, later adding tomatoes and seed crops. Through the years, the farm expanded into all seed crops.
In 1960, Magini rented the ranch out to the farmers. In 1964, he succumbed to a heart attack. His widow Viola Magini then requested her daughter Frances Swank and her family—husband Elliott Swank and one of their sons, Dick Swank to move from Calistoga, to Hollister, and start a dairy ranch.
Till 1986, the Swank family continued their business and growing hay. In 1986, due to government buyout, the Swanks sold their cows. Dick Swank, who has been an instrumental part of the Swank Dairy and milking cows since he was 10 years old, decided to start growing vegetables in 1992.
He started growing tomatoes, Indian corn, gourds and ornamental pumpkins, slowly expanding the produce portfolio to sweet corn, cauliflowers, broccoli, beets, carrots and melons. Swank Farms vegetables became known at all farmers markets in the vicinity and beyond.
By 2000, Swank Farms started delivering to restaurants. Apart from farming, Dick always wondered about the niche crop that could improve his business. That’s when a friend suggested a corn maze. The idea clicked and Dick rolled out his first maze across a modest landscape of eight acres.
The first maze suffered a blow of bad weather, but it showed an early sign of success. People loved it. The very next year, Swank Farms corn maze added a scary maze and it was a success. During the following years, Swank Farms kept on adding exciting activities.
In 2018, after 18 successful years, it was time to change their location. Swank Farms chose the land attached to the home ranch to offer a better experience. They also have a kid friendly spooky area next to Terror in the Corn.
