Bumper crop of entertainment

Families seeking fall fun - hayrides, corn mazes, silly string fights, among other activities - to go with their pumpkins and produce, have become big business for metro area farms, orchards and nurseries.

By Allie Shah, Star Tribune

Last update: October 26, 2007 - 10:02 PM

On a brisk but sunny morning, about 20 mothers and their young children climbed aboard the hay-covered trailer bed and took a ride to see the ghost and pumpkin ornaments hanging from the trees at the Country Sun Farm and Greenhouse in Stillwater.

When they returned to the start, some went to the corn maze while others dashed around the petting zoo, feeding the goats, turkeys, cows and other animals.

A long line already was forming for the next hay ride.

Fall festivities have become big business for metro area nurseries, apple orchards and vegetable farms. "Agri-tainment" is cropping up everywhere and has made the fall season a favorite for family outings.

"We have seen tremendous increase in the addition of experience-based activities," said Paul Hugunin, agriculture marketing specialist for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The vast majority of businesses listed in the Minnesota Grown directory now offer some form of entertainment in addition to selling produce, he said.

"The bottom line is they're reaching out to customers and adding more experience to go along with the product," he said.

In recent years, there's been an increase in the diversity of activities businesses are integrating with the products they're selling. For example, the Pine Tree Apple Orchards in White Bear Lake hosted a 5K run through the orchard last weekend.

And at Pinehaven Farm in Wyoming, Minn., customers can see a pumpkin put in a cannon and shot across a field.

"Everybody has their own way to personalize it and do something unique," Hugunin said.

Peter Marshall owns Peter's Pumpkins and Carmen's Corn near Shakopee. He said he's been in business in Shakopee for about nine years and has seen more fall festival activities at surrounding farms every year. He and his wife, Carmen, offer free hayrides and face paintings and host school groups at their farm. Fall, he said, is their biggest time of year.

"We make more of our money out of the fall outings," he said. "September and October is when we see the most people."

Eileen Bergmann is one of the owners of the Country Sun Farm & Greenhouse in Stillwater. Her farm is easy to spot with the giant scarecrow and pumpkin out front, beckoning people driving along Highway 36.

Bergmann said in the last five to 10 years she's seen more farms in the area providing entertainment in addition to selling produce. "People tend to want more than just the pumpkins," she said. "They want some family entertainment."

New this year at her farm is the silly string zone, a place where customers can grab a pair of goggles and a plastic silly string gun and have a shoot-out.

"Our pumpkins sales have more than doubled since the family activity [began] because it brings them here," Bergmann said. About four years ago, Country Sun started a concession area, selling mini-donuts, coffee, caramel apples and hot dogs. "That goes well. They're spending an average of three to four hours out here. It's an outing."

Fall now ranks second to spring as her busiest and most profitable time of year because of all the festivities, she said. Pumpkins range in price from $1 to $14.50 at Country Sun Farm.

"It's for the kids -- so they can run around and play," said Debbie Fletcher, of White Bear Lake, who was at Country Sun Farm & Greenhouse on Friday with her twin granddaughters, Cleo and Sasha, age 2. A repeat visitor, she was at the same greenhouse on Thursday with her other grandchild. Shrugging, she said: "It's just the place to be."

Allie Shah • 651-298-1550

Allie Shah • ashah@startribune.com