We’re in the autumnal throes of October, which means it’s time for Jack-o-lantern carving, leaf pile jumping and the consuming of anything “pumpkin spice” flavored.
It also means local farms are rolling out their fall-themed attractions, and there’s no shortage of harvest hoopla from Morgan Hill to Hollister.
Whether it’s taking a leisurely hay ride with the kids, selecting a wacky looking squash for the dining room table centerpiece, sinking your teeth into a caramel apple or getting hopelessly lost in a corn maze, the locale we live in is teeming with agritourism awesomeness.
In the spirit of fall fun, here is our nifty guide to nearby pumpkin patches. Enjoy!
UESUGI FARMS
Uesugi is South County’s magical Disneyland of pumpkins, where harvest is a hallowed time of year.
Between the “splenderific site” of the epic 4,000-plus pumpkin pyramid, the living pumpkin lab, the pumpkin blasters (which allow you to shoot at targets with mini pumpkins flying at speeds of up to 90 mph) and the Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off (this year’s winner was a record-breaking 2,032 pounds), you’ll walk away seeing orange stars.
And that’s just the beginning. Other features include the tractor-drawn Pumpkin Pete’s Enchanted Hayride that meanders through glittering sunflower and marigold fields, the silly cow train ride, Bootsie’s Honey Hut (where a beekeeper brings honey and a hive for kids to observe), a hayride to Butterfly Valley, a carousel, Kayla’s 20-acre corn maze, pony rides, petting corral, hay jump and live entertainment, red barn marketplace and the giant dining tent. The San Martin based LJB Farms also runs a stand where they sell steak sandwiches and corn.
“They sell the best, best, best buttered corn you’ve ever tasted,” said Lorrie Bessey, who books school tours.
Days and hours of operations vary. The top three pumpkins will be carved and displayed in downtown Morgan Hill on Halloween night.
Located: 14485 Monterey Road in San Martin.
Call: (408) 778-7225.
Visit: www.uesugifarms.com.
HOEY RANCH
If the whimsical selection of more than 20 heirloom pumpkin varieties isn’t titillating enough, the rustic red barn brimming with “antiques, collectibles and good stuff” (not to mention a very friendly cat) makes for treasure hunting fun. One of the farmers providing pumpkins to Hoey Ranch this year is also providing pumpkins to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Seventh-generation owners Debbie and Jim Hoey open their 1854 horse barn-turned-store from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, or by appointment. Select from an assortment of pumpkins in vibrant hues such as butter yellow, moon white, forest green and rouge red, plus wacky looking gourds and other squash oddities like the “speckled swans,” “warty guys” or “Turk’s turbin” – which are “so ugly, they’re cute,” Debbie said. Consider nabbing a trio of cheerful mini-pumpkins ($1 each; the orange ones are called “Baby Bears;” the white ones “Baby Boos”), which add a touch of harvest happiness to your work desk when you’re stuck inside on a gorgeous fall day.
Located: 2480 Hecker Pass Road.
Call: (408) 309-1179.
Visit: www.thebarnathoeyranch.com.
LJB FARMS
Everything at LJB Farms is sold out of an old barn that was operated almost a century ago by Brent Bonino’s great-grandfather, who moved to San Martin in 1917. Beyond their pumpkin patch, squash and decorative corn stalks, LJB has an assortment of seasonal vegetables and lip-licking goodies like caramel corn and a rainbow of dried fruits. They’ve also got great pricing ($6 each or two for $10) for carving pumpkins. They offer various pumpkin varieties including the Queensland blue, Cinderella and local butternut squash (yum!). Bonino also carries a cute-as-a-button line of preserves called Stacey’s Jalapeno Jellies, which are crafted in small batches from locally grown fruit and made by a family friend. Each is parceled the old-fashioned way in glass mason jars with little squares of colored cloth beneath the lid, available in snappy flavors such as raspberry jalapeno and pineapple habanero. Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
Located: 585 Fitzgerald Ave.
Call: (408) 842-9755.
Visit: www.ljbfarms.com.
SWANK FARMS
This certified organic, family-owned 1929 farm off Churchill Road in Hollister does a fabulous job of catering to visitors of all ages. Younger children are treated to their own fall adventure in the Kiddy Corral, which features the Spookley Maze, corn box, haystack jump, chalkboard house and fishing for goats (where kids can feed cornstalks to goats). Kids of all ages can also enjoy the old-fashioned corn grinder, “pedal karts,” a mining sluice, the ugly pumpkin slingshot, corn cannons and a snack shack. This year, the cow train includes 12-foot tall dinosaurs. Older kids and adults can get their screams from the new haunted attraction, “Terror in the Corn: Alien Invasion.” The farm is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. everyday in October and until midnight on select weekends and Halloween night. The haunted attraction is open after dark. Swank features a you-pick pumpkin patch as well as gourds and Indian corn, making this “little piece of heaven” a great place to stock up on fall ornamentals and seasonal decorations. Do yourself a favor and visit their website to get Swank Farms’ original recipe for Apple Stuffed Mini Pumpkins.
Located: 2600 San Felipe Road in Hollister.
Visit: www.swankfarms.com.
PUMPKIN JUNCTION AT CASA DE FRUTA
Ah, Casa De Fruta – the mother lode of all things scrumptious: Specialty caramel apples, pumpkin pies, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin truffles, raw/roasted pumpkin seeds, more than 15 flavors of fudge (including pumpkin), pumpkin spice lattes and a cornucopia of seasonal Halloween treats. Pumpkin Junction is currently open to the public and features a pumpkin patch of about 1,000 pumpkins, a pumpkin theater, Casa de Choo Choo, Casa de Carousel and the Miner’s Sluice. This year, school field trips will include a drum circle in the pumpkin patch teepee. Open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day through Oct. 31.
Located: 10021 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister.
Call: (800) 543-1702.
Visit: www.casadefruta.com.
