FARMINGTON—Halloween is around the corner and what better way to celebrate than carving a pumpkin? Finding just the right pumpkin is half the fun and that’s what Pack Farms is all about.

“In 1958 my dad raised his first crop of pumpkins,” said DeVan Pack, owner of the farm. “He had a truck farm. He raised vegetables and took them into town.”

He raised radishes, summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant, dill weed for pickles and sweet corn, said Pack. “My father was the one who convinced the stores to take a big load of pumpkins outside instead of taking them inside. In the early 2000s he quit delivering to stores.”

Pack said a friend of his dad’s talked him into growing sod. “It was the second sod farm established in Utah. That became his main source of income raising sod, hay and pumpkins because they’re just fun.”

The idea for a pumpkin patch came when Pack and his mother read articles about pumpkin farms in the Midwest. “We took some hay bales and made a maze for kids to run through it,” he said. “We had scales for people to weigh their pumpkins. Then we found carts so they could bring them in by carts and then we built ramps so they could weigh the pumpkins all together.”

They added scarecrow galleries where families could put on a hat and have their pictures taken. “We also had an animated talking manikin,” said Pack. “That was until the man who did the voice retired. We have battery operated things around.”

Pack said they got a train for the kids to ride two years ago. “About six to eight years ago my daughter came to me and said ‘dad you’ve got to have other activities.’ She showed me the roller slide. We used to try to charge with the activity area but with COVID we decided to just charge admission so we could spread out.”

It’s just evolved over the years, he said. “I’ve put the brakes on it so I don’t become Lagoon. My heart is in selling pumpkins. When a family comes the kids pick their own pumpkins and leave with a great experience. When they’re done they see the value in it.”

Jeanene Lund’s kindergarten class from Foxboro Elementary visited the farm as part of their learning about living things core. “We learn about living things like plants and animals and nonliving things like a farmer’s tools and equipment,” she said. “We help them understand about the sun, soil, water and air.”

Lund said it’s great to get out again after COVID. “It’s been two years since we had a field trip. We needed to do something outside and see the beauty of nature. I’ll be happy when the world opens up a little more.”

Pack Farms is located at 1700 W. Glovers Lane, Farmington. It is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. through Oct. 30. Admission is $3. Kids under 3 and seniors 65 and older are free.