Pumpkin Lane awaits you. Literally. For nearly fifty years, Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm nestled on Pumpkin Lane in Wheatland has welcomed visitors to their pumpkin patch extraordinaire. Over 125,000 visitors pack this place per season, and while this fall may feel different due to COVID-19, here’s what you can expect when visiting this Sacramento Valley institution.

Dress up and Distance

Masks aren’t just for Halloween this year. Face masks are required to enter any of the indoor buildings, such as gifts shops, the Cider Mill, or Harvest Barn. Outdoor attractions such as pumpkin fields, Corn Maze, Sunflower Stroll, and more have ample space, and you can be mask free. They only ask that you “Stay 6 Pumpkins Apart.” Employees frequently sanitize public areas while hand washing and sanitation stations abound for visitors.  

Looking Forward and Back

Fieldtrips started it all. Sandy Bishop, a schoolteacher, along with husband Bill, moved to Wheatland in the 1970s. Bill farmed everything from corn and beans to hogs and alfalfa. Sandy wanted pumpkins planted to give students a reason to visit the farm. The rest is autumn harvest history. As the years went by a locomotive, zip line, carousel, bakery, eateries, and more were added, making this place an agritourism destination in the Sacramento Valley. While pumpkins are the shining stars, in 2015, nuts came into the mix. The Bishops bought the adjacent almond orchard, now those nuts grace the scones and popular caramel apples that visitors gobble up.

Admission is always free, but weekend parking and extra attractions do have a cost. Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm stays open through November 9th.