pampkin farm school tours

Field Trip Information for Preschool & Elementary Teachers and Youth Group Leaders

Print off our current field trip flyer for info

Pumpkin Farm Pre-K Program
Pumpkin Farm 1st – 3rd Grade Program
Pumpkin Farm 4th Grade + Program

ATTENTION: PRESCHOOL/ELEMENTARY TEACHERS & YOUTH GROUP LEADERS:

THE PUMPKIN FARM ANNOUNCES AN INNOVATED SCHOOL & YOUTH GROUP PROGRAM FOR FALL 2011!

We are excited to announce an enhanced program which is customized for each group based on class/age level, with an expanded curriculum to incorporate the California Department of Education’s History-Social Science Framework. Our traditional show & tell session has moved away from the old Ford ’37 truck into an instructor-led hayride to accompany your class and provide a field trip presentation that is integrated with the Farm’s history and operations, including the following based on your class level:

  • The hayride begins with an introduction to the Farm’s history, beginning with an overview of the Plains Miwok Native Americans who populated the surrounding area through the Farm’s modern 120 year history of continuous farming (from harvesting oak wood in the 1880s, into a mixed orchard, bee-keeping, then a turkey farm, dairy and finally a pumpkin farm since 1972).
  • A presentation of the Farm’s extensive antique farm equipment which covers farming implements from the horse drawn era to the dawn of industrial farming of the 1950s.
  • An overview of the Farm’s working seasons – from early spring soil preparation, summer planting/growing/irrigating, fall harvesting and finally winter off-season maintenance and building projects.
  • A discussion of other points of interest throughout the Farm, including 100 year old fruit & olive orchards, old turkey barns, fun scarecrow displays, wild turkey residents and barn owl nests.

This curriculum will be flexible and will be tailored to cover class levels from Pre/K up to Middle School with topics such as farming techniques and economics for older school and youth groups. In addition to the instructor-led hayride described above, your tour also includes the traditional Pumpkin Farm activities in the following sequence which typically covers 1 ½ hours:

  1. Teacher/group check in and distribution of field trip passes.
  2. Instructor-lead (1) hayride through our 16 acres of pumpkin, corn and blooming sunflower field.
  3. Learn about and see the GIANT PUMPKINS we are growing on the farm. Some of our pumpkins are already over 800 pounds and last year, one of our pumpkins took 1st place at the world famous Half Moon Bay Giant Pumpkin Contest, weighing in at an incredible 1,535 pounds!
  4. Visit with farm zoo birds and animals – sheep, goats, pigs, turkeys, geese, ducks, and chickens.
  5. Walk or run through our one acre corn field maze.
  6. Crawl through a hay bale maze, climb a deck under oak trees and slide down to base of straw bale pyramid.
  7. Climb to top of the lookout tower and descend to ground level using 4 enclosed tube slides at different levels.
  8. If you dare, walk through our haunted barn and see 250 feet of displays featuring Halloween folklore themes in over 40 artistic scenes presented in a background of fog, light, motion and sound special effects.
  9. Pick and take home a small pumpkin (5-8 inches in diameter).
  10. OPTIONAL – bring your own lunch or snacks to enjoy in the Farm’s shaded picnic table seating area.

Recommended Group Tour Schedule (2):

Class level Recommended Tour Time Tour Fees (2)
October 1st – 15th October 16th – 31st
Pre-school – Kindergarten 9 am to 10:45 am $6 $7
1st – 3rd grade 11 am to 12:45 pm $6 $7
4 th grade and older 1 pm + $6 $7

(1) Please note that our instructor-led hayride tour may be a pre-recorded listening tour (based on class level) for small groups fewer than 20 and after 2 pm daily, subject to Farm staffing availability.

(2) The per person fee (for student, parent, adult and siblings 2 years & older) includes all the activities above and a small pumpkin.

One classroom teacher or group leader per 20 students has free admission. Fees are payable in lump sum cash, check or credit card for all participants by teacher or group leader upon arrival and registration at the farm.
Please note that any non-weather related cancellations must be made at least 1 week prior to a scheduled trip or be subject to a 25% cancellation fee.

PLEASE CALL (916) 726 1137 TO SCHEDULE A FIELD TRIP OR FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL info@pumpkinfarm.net

The Pumpkin Farm, 7736 Old Auburn Road,
Citrus Heights, CA 95610.
Since 1972

Pumpkin Farm Tours