RICHFIELD — Most activities families count on for outdoor fall fun have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdown regulations. But Thomas Family Farms in Richfield, a family-owned farm that raises beef, pork and other agricultural products, is open and welcoming customers to drop by for some pumpkins, games and treats.
After a Sept. 13 social media post announcing they would indeed be open for the month of October, as they usually are, the farm received a lot of positive responses.
So the Thomas family followed that post up with another, which said in part, “We have had so many phone calls and people asking about pumpkins & the pumpkin patch that we have decided to get to work at the last minute and put some things together around the farm for your family while you’re here picking up your pumpkins. Paintball guns, swings, see saw, picnic tables will be available & seating around the barn, games, drinks, hot cider. Oh and several places to take family pictures.”
Michelle Thomas of Thomas Family Farms told SCJ that their hours would be shorter than most years. With the week-day school trips canceled, the farm will only be open on weekends during October. They will open on Oct. 2 and remain open until the end of the month. Friday and Saturday hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday hours from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“We’re doing it a little differently this year because of COVID,” Thomas said. “This year we’ll just have to have our games spread out further to keep people spaced out, and our picnic tables will be spaced out.”
Pumpkins, mums, hay bales, pasture-raised pork, and pastured raised eggs will be sold on site. Visitors can pick their own pumpkin inside the barn or out in the field.
“We are going to have pumpkins out in the patch, and we’re just going to have to space people out to go,” she said. “The pumpkins are already picked off the vine, but they are sitting in the field.”
In usual years, they have many games and rides for children, and this year, they will still have those available, with some exceptions. Hay rides and cattle car rides are not going to be offered after consulting with the Stanly Health Department, which doesn’t permit rides at the moment. All the games that families are used to though, other than the popular “corn pit,” will still be offered.
Thomas Family Farm is in Richfield at 44161 Millingport Road.