Surrounded by Stanford architecture, it’s easy to let fall pass you by. I’m only reminded it’s October because of the occasional autumn breeze or crackle of leaves outside Roble Gym. There aren’t many Halloween decorations on campus, unlike my neighborhood back home. When I was younger, my family visited a local pumpkin patch every year for the pony ride, miniature roller coaster and to take photos sitting on pumpkins and hay bales. At home, we scooped the guts out of our pumpkins and carved them to display on our front porch. In my first fall at Stanford, I sought the familiarity of this tradition. 

I found that familiarity just off Junipero Serra Freeway, at Webb Ranch. Webb Ranch is a family-owned farm that opens a pumpkin patch every autumn, bringing the fall spirit to Portola Valley. From pumpkin-shopping to spooky season fun, the ranch makes autumn traditions accessible to Stanford students. Its pumpkin patch embraces childhood nostalgia with its ghostly inflatables and colorful array of gourds on the straw-covered ground. The air smells like hay bales and horses like my hometown pumpkin patch, and the kids activity zone reminded me of the annual October carnival at my elementary school.  

The farm is located on Stanford-owned land, approximately a mile from the main campus. It is a longer walk from some dorms, but bikeable. To get there, I split an Uber with five friends, which cost about $2 per person one way. The pumpkin patch is open from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31, with daily hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We went around 4 p.m. on a Friday, and it wasn’t very busy. The activities are oriented to kids ages 1-12, but we stayed for about an hour, browsing the pumpkins and taking fun photos using gourds and wheelbarrows as props.

Krisha Basu ’29 visited Webb Ranch last weekend with her dorm, Cedro. Her residential assistants organized the trip, and each student paid $15. 

“It wasn’t too far or inaccessible, especially from East Campus, since it was just a 10-minute drive down the road,” Basu said. 

With the Saturday teen/adult activity pass, Basu and her dorm participated in the corn maze, petting zoo and haunted house. 

“Even though the activities were clearly for younger kids, it was a really fun experience since I got to re-live my childhood while being away from home,” Basu said. “They had all sorts of wonky types of pumpkins, and my friends and I got to take a lot of cute pictures.”

​The farm has been in the Webb family for 103 years and is now run by third and fourth-generation family members. According to InMenlo, George Webb sub-leased the land from Stanford in 1922. Since then, the ranch has sold organic produce to local markets and restaurants and started a horse riding program. 

​“They’re wonderful. They’re great people. They care about their employees,” said Joaquín Castaneda, who started working at Webb Ranch this month. 

​At the lower part of the ranch, heaps of pumpkins are organized by size, shape and color: traditionally round, all hues of orange, white, green, multicolored, striped and misshapen. Prices range from $2.75 for mini pumpkins to larger gourds costing over $35.

​“I’m big into carving, so I like to take at least four or five pumpkins to carve with the family,” Castaneda said. He pulled out a large pumpkin he set aside for himself and planned to carve into a witch. 

​Castaneda estimated that the ranch sells up to 60-pound pumpkins, with the heaviest they have grown weighing 100 pounds. He said customers usually carve the bigger pumpkins or display them as fall decorations. 

​“You could always roast the seeds,” Castaneda added. “People forget, but the seeds are edible, and they’re powerhouses of vitamins.”

​Along with carving pumpkins and sugar pumpkins for baking, Webb Ranch grows corn and heirloom, cherry and ace tomatoes that are in season for the rest of October. They also sell hay and organic compost produced on site. 

​“We support a lot of local farms too. We have our own honey and jams, which are delicious,” Castaneda said. Webb Ranch sells fall decorations and treats inside the small store where Castaneda rings people up for pumpkins and activity passes. 

​The activity zone sits on a hill above the pumpkins, including a haunted house, bounce house, obstacle course and corn maze. On the weekends, the petting zoo, reptile zoo and hayride open. 

​“It’s our first time,” said Natalie, who visited the ranch with her fourth-grade son. 

​“He had [a minimum day] today, and the whole school came and had a wonderful time with the hay rides and the jumpy houses,” Natalie said, waiting in line to purchase the pumpkins in their wagon, which they planned to carve at home. 

For pumpkin patches that are farther from campus and have more adult offerings, students can check out the following locations in San Mateo and Santa Clara County:

• Andoretti Family Farms (Half Moon Bay) – The farm offers a U-Pick Sunflower Field through Nov. 23, and haunted corn maze Fright Nights. 
• Moreland Pumpkin Patch (San Jose) – The pumpkin patch and movie nights are free, and tickets are required for carnival games and the Haunted Trail. All proceeds fund enrichment programs in the Moreland School District. Open through Nov. 1. 
• Arata’s Pumpkin Farm (Half Moon Bay) – The oldest sustainable pumpkin farm in San Mateo County, Arata’s attractions include a Minotaur’s Labyrinth Hay Maze and Haunted Barn. Open through Oct. 31.