Pumpkin patches are now open and offer a variety of activities
Colored leaves are starting to fall, mornings are crisp and birds are starting to fly south — it will soon be time to decorate for autumn and Halloween. There are a number of pumpkin patches across Sonoma County that are now open for business, offering a variety of pumpkins and family-friendly activities.
In north Sonoma County, Courtney’s Pumpkin Patch in Cloverdale will be open Saturday, Oct. 6 in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club Oktoberfest. The pop-up patch occurs each October and offers a variety of pumpkins, squash and gourds.
“There is something for everybody,” says patch organizer, Dennis Davis. “The Oktoberfest will have German music, food and beer from 12 to 7 p.m. There will also be family-friendly activities, a bouncy house, a circus character, magic show and a silent auction.”
Proceeds from the event help support cancer patients and the local scholarship named in honor of Davis’ daughter, Courtney.
“She passed away in 2008 from a bone cancer and so all the money we make helps the nonprofit and goes towards the scholarship,” Davis said.
Courtney’s Pumpkin Patch will be open from noon to 7 p.m. at the plaza in downtown Cloverdale.
Healdsburg residents can look to Grandma’s Pumpkin Patch on Healdsburg Avenue for another classic pumpkin patch experience with fresh pumpkins.
These pumpkins are ideal for carving as they are fresh off the vine with mostly flat bottoms.
For good pumpkin carving, Good Housekeeping recommends cutting the lid of the pumpkin at an angle and to coat the edges with petroleum jelly to ensure freshness. It is also a good idea to create a hole in the top to allow smoke to escape if you use a candle inside.
Another sweet trick is to sprinkle in a bit of cinnamon so when the pumpkin burns you’ll get wafts of cinnamon and pumpkin.
The family farm also has various kid-friendly activities, such as a petting zoo, hayrides and corn mazes for exploring. The property also has a collection of vintage tractors on display.
The patch is open daily from 10 a.m. until dusk during the fall and winter season and is located at 17740 Healdsburg Ave.
The Healdsburg Community Church will also be hosting a pumpkin patch from Oct. 15-31 where they will be selling pumpkins for charity. The pumpkins are sustainably grown on nonprofit Navajo Land in New Mexico and a portion of sale proceeds will go towards the growers.
The patch will be open from 1 to 8 p.m. each day, rain or shine. The patch is located at 1100 University, Healdsburg.
Punky’s Pumpkin Patch in Santa Rosa is a good choice for nearby Windsor residents. It has been family owned and operated since 1995 by the Gutzman family.
Mike Gutzman, also known as “Pumpkin Mike,” nurtured his passion for growing pumpkins by turning his love into a family business.
The farm originally started on just two acres of land, but later grew to 20 acres and in addition to pumpkins the farm offers a diverse array of squash for sale.
In terms of family-friendly activities the patch will have a 30-foot slide, bounce house and hayrides.
Punky’s is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is located near the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts at 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa.
Muelrath Ranches in Santa Rosa is also a good option. The sustainably grown and pesticide free farm has over 20 varieties to choose from and also has gourds, winter squash, ornamental corn and sunflowers.
It also has a variety of pumpkin themed events, such as the pumpkin slingshot and cannon. Kids’ activities include free hayrides and a bounce house.
Muelrath’s is located at 3800 Walker Ave. in Santa Rosa, just outside Sebastopol.
For others in the west county area, PaPa’s Pumpkin Patch is a good option for pumpkin hunters.
The patch was planted in 2003 at the request of PaPa’s grandkids. Since then, the farm has been selling to kids, young and old and has been open annually.
The small, family farm grows seven varieties of pumpkins and the ranch next door offers apples and homemade apple cider and juice.
The patch is open daily in October from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 13110 Occidental Rd., Sebastopol.
