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Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

OK April and I are making the big move to ENGEL'S GREAT PUMPKIN PATCH. We have purchased a 5 acre llama farm, with an existing 1800 square foot poleshed. In just about a perfect place for what we want to do. A Family Pumpkin Farm. We plan on having a petting zoo, Giant Pumpkins on display, and a small corn maze. What are some other things you guys have seen that you have thought were impressive, or very unique. I seen a magazine once where they had little pig races. Trained goats to pull wagons for pick your own pumpkins.

10/5/2005 10:40:39 AM

Western NY

Shannon, there a really nice one near me, sounds just like what you're looking to do.

www.pumpkinville.com

i'll try to remember to take some pics when i'm over there next for you.

10/5/2005 10:53:52 AM

Fireworks (will keep people around till later), pumpkin catapults. It's gotta something unique around the area that people will come annually to see and take part in. Big family bbq, and games. I always loved those. Hay wagon rides around the farm, and that's were I run out of ideas. Congratulations on the new farm, and I hope it a big success for you. Hope these ideas help. Like I said before don't have typical things every year that people will go once and enjoy but not come back later because of repetiveness. Try to find a big community event like a pumpkin boat race, that brings out laughs, and people can have a lot fun with. Good luck!

10/5/2005 11:03:58 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

food, apple pie,pumpkin pie, cider, haunted house.

10/5/2005 11:55:15 AM

Somers, CT

Shannon, You are living my dream. Northern CT has a bunch of good farms. What I hav seen is Pumpkin Launcher, reindeer, large pigs, nighttime haunted hayride, corn maze, Hay roll maze. Look at this link. This is a pretty popular one in my home town. It is kind of run down but still okay for the kids. They sell corn, plants and veggies off-season. Still have not seen a GP there yet


http://www.elmknollfarm.com

10/5/2005 12:02:17 PM

Lexington, Ky

Face painting! I stood in line with my three year old son for nearly an hour for a two minute, $4 dollar paint job. He respectfully declined the $2 hair painting which would have added another 15 seconds to his ordeal......LMAO!!!

10/5/2005 1:08:58 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

you must be excited! in addition to all the other suggestions, all things apple for starters and at our local place they have scarecrow/halloween dummy making inside the hay barn.

10/5/2005 1:24:06 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I've never seen a pumpkin catapult in person. But, they sound fun. And, I think that the Niagara weigh-off site, at the Howell Family Pumpkin Farm (www.ahowlinggoodtime.com), has one along with other fun stuff.

10/5/2005 1:26:23 PM

Utah

sounds fun ... and like a lot of work ... best wishes!
hummm ... how about a weigh off ?
:)

10/5/2005 2:22:12 PM

Indiana

hay ride

10/5/2005 3:07:00 PM

Greencastle, PA

maybe make the straw maze a haunted straw maze, just set up some sort of structure over it to block out the sunlight and hire some kids to scare people. if you do it right it could be a big attraction.

10/5/2005 3:48:26 PM

Dillsburg, PA

Hey You, I see you have moved to PA. Good luck to you.

Shannon, Your a lucky dude. My suggestion would be to make a haunted hayride through your cornmaze. Have some kids dress up and scare the crap out of your customers. These seem like money makers but everyone just does the plain old cornmaze. I ran one in high school in the 80's and it was very popular. Good luck

10/5/2005 5:46:28 PM

addison Il

trains gots to have a little train my little guy loves the trians its one of the main attractions at the pumpkin fests.if your going for down on the farm theme for the little girls you can make a pumpkin coach like cinderellas also scary things are always fun fun fun

10/5/2005 5:57:12 PM

I think you should rent out a few plots of full sun patch on top of the llama piles to your friendly neighbor Brigitte down the road. :-)

10/5/2005 6:21:13 PM

the catapaults need lotttsss of space. We had our first one at Nekoosa this year (just 3 teams) and they were going over 300 feet.

10/5/2005 6:22:58 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Brigitte rent is payable in seed planting and weed pulling. Might be better off rent a piece of land from someone else :)

10/5/2005 8:51:48 PM

Eugene,OR

If you have a 600+ pound pumpkin, set up a booth with a great backdrop and have a person (it would be best if they were in some kind of costume) take polaroid pics of the kids sitting on the pumpkin and give them (or sell them) to the customers.

10/5/2005 11:04:43 PM

Somers, CT

I forgot one. Linus' family pumpkin farm and brewery. I will be there.

10/7/2005 11:24:41 AM

Indiana

I dont have any ideas, cause i am not creative, but if you ever need a bunch of a certain size or shape pumpkin or giant, let me know and I will see what I got around.

10/7/2005 1:46:10 PM