Although I wasn’t in the market for a pumpkin, when my daughter said they were headed to the Lombardi Ranch after naptime, I decided to tag along. I assumed we were visiting a normal pumpkin patch.

I was so wrong.

The Lombardi Ranch is a family-owned seasonal business that’s a Halloween tradition with folks in this part of the world. The parking lots were jammed and people of all ages were milling around with smiles on their faces.

I plunked myself down on a straw bale while my family went off to enjoy a horse drawn wagon ride. I was facing acres of tall sunflowers which were home to numerous scarecrows who seemed to attract more photographers than birds.

Pumpkins and wagon rides were only two of the offerings of this entrepreneurial family. There were food stands (corn on the cob seemed to be the big seller), a party tent available for private rental, a petting zoo, face painting and pony rides.

There were thousands of pumpkins, including white ones, in every size and shape. Families walked the grounds pulliing small wagons loaded with the perfect jack-o-lantern material.

Even though the overcast skies appeared to be getting ready to produce a downpour, there was a festive atmosphere made even jollier by the live music coming from another tent.

I’m guessing that Halloween is the favorite holiday for the Lombardi family. It’s also one that requires more planning and preparation than it does for those of us who simply don a costume.

For years, I’ve been singing the praises of the seasonal business and pointing out that if you sell pumpkins, most of the year has no cash flow. When that cashless spell is followed by a Harvest Celebration, payday can be huge. And hugely fun.

Speaking of hugely fun…while I was taking in the in all the pre-Halloween delight, Connie Hozvicka (aka Dirty Footprints) was sharing her experiences celebrating National Boss’s Day as her own boss. Don’t miss her story.