As Halloween draws nearer, families head over to Webb Ranch to pick out the perfect pumpkin.
The ranch is a family-run farm in the heart of Portola Valley, which features a petting zoo, pony rides, hay rides, and most importantly, a pumpkin patch.
“There are so many activities for the kids,” said Nathan Hensley, the ranch’s barn manager. “So many families come here because it’s a good way to spend the day.”
Often times, a pumpkin is just the right thing to finish off Halloween decorations, which is why families flock to pumpkin patches like Webb Ranch. They also enjoy the feeling of family the farm offers.
Sophomore Chloe Hernandez said, “[The farm] is definitely a local thing — people from all over Woodside and Portola Valley come to pick out pumpkins.”
Many families want a pumpkin that is fit for their Halloween. Thankfully, the ranch ensures that they have plenty to choose from.
“We plant the [pumpkin] seeds in June. Then around the end of October, we harvest and bring them down to the patch,” said Hensley. “We also plant different seeds at different times. That way we have more variety.”
Pumpkin hunter Cathi Douglass and her granddaughter plan to liven up their Halloween using the pumpkins they pick from the farm.
“My family doesn’t have a lot of Halloween spirit and I want to bring that into my house with these pumpkins,” said Douglass’s granddaughter.
The atmosphere of the pumpkin patch was charged with the anticipation of the spooky holiday. Children visited the petting zoo and jumpy house before hitching a ride on a tractor-led tour of the ranch.
Webb Ranch was founded in 1922 by George Webb and his wife, Florence Webb, with the goal of providing fresh local produce to their community. Today, that value has taken on the form of the Halloween pumpkin patch.
The locality of the farm offers Carlmont students an alternative to the long drive up to the Half-Moon Bay pumpkin patch. Instead, they can head over to Webb Ranch to pick out pumpkins and enjoy the festivities.
Hernandez said, “[The owners] put time and effort into the pumpkin patch so there’s definitely something for people of all ages.”
