I just got back from visiting Lombardi Ranch in Saugus in Santa Clarita. Lombardi Ranch is a functioning farm that has been around since the 1940's. They open the farm usually in mid August to mid November and everything being sold at the ranch has actually been grown there.
The Halloween Festival began in 1989 although they have been selling pumpkins since 1968. Joann Lombardi shares on the Lombardi Ranch website how this festival began. She wrote that their oldest daughter Julia invited her preschool class for a tour of the ranch sometime in October and handed everyone a small pumpkin to send home. Well the word got out and the next thing you know this became an annual event which has blossomed into what it is today.
It is an annual family outing we engage in and it's one of those activities we can do as a family. The fond memories I have as a child were not necessarily the item we went to get such as a pumpkin in this scenario but the adventure or what we did as a family in the process. In today's fast paced immediate gratification age this is one of those occasions you can make a whole day out of.
My youngest being six loves walking the farm, petting the animals and walking through the 100's of pumpkins found on the farm. She absolutely loves sunflowers and they have a whole area devoted to her favorite plant with local schools and kids displaying there comical view of halloween amongst the plants (see photos)
We drove by a series of local roadside lots with pumpkins in route to Lombardi Ranch our final destination. Sure it would be faster and easier to pull up to these roadside locales but it just isn't the same as visiting Lombard Ranch
I tried to capture in photos some of the many events and activities you can engage in while visiting Lombardi Ranch. They have live music, food,petting zoo, pony rides, hay rides, train rides, to name a few, and did I mention they have pumpkins too!!
If you haven't done so already then I recommend you visit Lombardi Ranch this year as there is still time to do so before Halloween. I won't be surprised if this becomes an annual "family" event for your family as well.
Update 10/22/2007 Lombardi Ranch was damaged from the recent Buck weed fire. It is not known at present time how extensive the damage is as only residents are allowed in the area. In an effort to assist fire personnel and for safety we were not able to confirm the extent of damage. Once we are able to do so we will update this site with updated information.
Update 10/23/2007 Lombardi Ranch suffered significant fire damage as a result of the Buck weed fire. I attempted to visit Lombardi Ranch today but was turned back by local sheriffs who were only allowing residents to proceed past the road block in place. They wanted to limit the potential for looters and lookey loos driving up to some of the fires and interfering with fire personnel. It is frustrating but I have to honor their requests. I will make another attempt tomorrow. Check in later tomorrow for an update with photos regarding this local landmark.
Update 10/24/2007 Photos of Lombardi Ranch after buck weed fire.
The aftermath read my most recent blog after speaking with Mr Lombardi. Click here Lombardi ranch after the fire
All views, opinions, observations are strictly my own, unless stated otherwise, and do not reflect the views of Keller Williams VIP Properties.
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