The 12-acre Pumpkin Farm on Old Auburn Road will open again this October for its month-long “farm experience,” annually featuring corn maze activities, farm animals, a 30-foot tower slide, and more.
New attractions this year include a duck pond and “voting booth,” which features life-size mannequins of presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, farm staff said.
According to a news release, the Farm is celebrating its 42nd year in operation, making it one of California’s oldest family-run pumpkin farms. Shymoniak-family operators say the attraction draws over 10,000 visitors each October, with youth groups and school field trips accounting for the majority of visits.
In a prior interview with The Sentinel, Farm operator Yvonne Shymoniak described the seasonal attraction as “more of a farm experience than a Halloween experience.” She highlighted several activities offered, like weaving through tall corn stalks, learning about farm operations, petting goats, or picking out a pumpkin from one of the 100 tons of pumpkins grown on the expansive property.
Annual hayrides are also offered which take small groups on meandering tours throughout the Farm — and also on a journey back in history. In the late 1800’s the Farm was used for harvesting oak wood, before becoming an orchard, and then an area for bee-keeping, raising turkeys and dairy. In 1974 the Farm merged into its current use as a pumpkin farm.
Although only open for a month each year, family operators say it takes about six months of work each year to prepare for the annual busy season, with corn being planted in late July and other activities and plantings needing several months to get ready. The Farm is primarily operated by 75-year-old “Farmer Leonard” and three of his children.
The Pumpkin Farm is located at 7736 Old Auburn Rd. in Citrus Heights and is open Tuesday-Sunday from Oct. 1-31. As mornings are typically filled with school groups, farm operators recommend the general public come after 12 o’clock to miss the rush and fully enjoy the activities and learning experiences.
More information is available on the Farm’s web site: pumpkinfarm.net
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