Mad Pumpkins, at H. Estates Farm on Lower Valley Pike, will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, Sept. 22 through Oct. 31.
The all-outdoor pumpkin patch will offer a large variety of pumpkins, hayrides, a playground, several photo opportunities including the Flight of Fall wings, decorative cookies and fall decorations.
Hough said that the pumpkin patch this year yielded between 3,000 and 3,500 pumpkins in all different sizes. She added that after popular demand last year, they planted a crop of white carveable pumpkins that will be great for painting.
“I think we may have found the pumpkin people are hoping to find," Hough said.
The pumpkins grown at Mad Pumpkins are “organic," she added. "Because we are on the water, we don’t use any kind of pesticides or chemicals on our pumpkins.”
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hough explained that she had to make a few changes to ensure the safety of her employees and customers.
Because of social distancing, Hough said they are offering private hayrides. She explained that they did not feel comfortable having individuals who did not know each other ride in the same hayride wagon. Instead, customers are required to make appointments for hayrides on Saturdays or Sundays. Groups of 10 people or less can go on a hayride for $25, she said.
“That’s one of our major attractions,” Hough said. "It has characters along the path and it takes you past a lake that’s on the backside of the farm.
Other changes include adding a hand sanitizing station, COVID-19 signage, additional space between pumpkin patch rows, routine disinfecting of shopping wagons, common areas and the playground and touch-less pay, Hough said. Cash will still be accepted.
Employees will be required to wear masks and customers will be encouraged to wear masks if they are unable to social distance, she added.
“We want everyone to be safe," Hough said.
“There’s a lot of things they can do here. When they’re in the wide open it’s so much easier to stay socially distanced from people,” she added.
For more information, search for H. Estates Mad Pumpkins on Facebook. To schedule a hayride, call 937-248-4880.
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