Harvest festival focuses on family fun

My family and I had the pleasure of attending the Annual Carson Valley Harvest Festival at the Corley Ranch last weekend and it was a blast. The folks at the ranch have really outdone themselves and created a welcoming atmosphere that everyone can enjoy.

Our arrival coincided with one of the three daily pig races. Pumpkin, Bacon, Charlotte and Wilbur squealed and scrambled their way through the hay bale maze as the crowd cheered them on. Watching the four pigs, not to mention the innumerable excited expressions on the kids' faces, was a hoot. The races run at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. each day of the festival.

We wandered through various booths that offered unique crafts and merchandise. Sierra Nevada Trading Co. was there grilling up delicious tri-tip sandwiches and other fare. Next to them stood the Pumpkin Trailer, which had caramel apples, warm cider, hot chocolate and other seasonal treats. A special booth featuring roasted nuts will also be on site through the rest of the month.

Next we tried to weave our way through the corn maze. Our 3-year-old had a ball dashing among the tall ears of corn and loved the smell and sound of dried husks crunching underfoot. There are five questions hidden throughout the maze and if you answer all correctly, you'll earn a treat. Everyone we came across in the maze was smiling and laughing, just as we were.

And not to worry about becoming lost forever - there are "Corn Cops" perched up high to help you navigate your way if you get turned around in the maze.

There's a petting zoo full of friendly animals including rabbits, pygmy and alpine goats, piglets, a miniature donkey and a miniature horse. Little broncos can take a ride on the miniature horse for $5 and wagon rides are also available for a small fee.

We then meandered through the pumpkin patch, which offers many varieties to choose from. There are Triple Treat and Baby Bear pumpkins, which are both good for pie making and seed roasting. Howden pumpkins are popular choices for jack o' lanterns. And be sure to see the prize-winning Atlantic Giant, which weighs more than 100 pounds.

Pumpkins can be picked at the patch, or chosen right from the produce store near the entrance of the festival. There you'll also find gourds, winter squash and melons for sale. The weight of your pumpkin determines the cost.

Special musical entertainers are scheduled to play from 1-3 p.m. through the rest of the month as well.

Harvest Festival hours are from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday until the end of October. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and kids ages 7-17 and $3 for children ages 3-6. Wee ones 2 and younger are free.

On Saturday nights only, the festival reopens from 7-9 p.m. for a Night Crawler Maze event. This special evening is $3.50 for kids ages 12 and younger and $7 for everyone else. During this time you may enter and wander through the corn maze as many times as you wish, but you'll want to remember to bring your flashlight. You may just encounter a spooky presence or two in the corn field at night.

You can also take a haunted wagon ride on Saturday nights. You'll visit the "graveyard" beneath the ranch's 100-year-old apple tree and listen to some scary tales along the way. You'll want to hold on tight to the person next to you as a headless horseman has been known to wander these parts. The hay ride is $5 for adults and $2.50 for those 12 and younger.

The Corley Ranch is located at 859 Highway 395 South in Gardnerville. Information at 721-1047.

-- The Boys & Girls Club of Carson Valley hosts its second annual Go To Bat World Series party and dinner Saturday at the Genoa Lakes Resort Golf Course clubhouse.

The evening begins with a stadium style dinner of hot dogs, burgers, and ballgame snacks at 5:15 p.m. in the upstairs dining room. Beer tasting is sponsored by Capital Beverage. You might find yourself seated next to a major league baseball player.

There are fabulous raffle prizes including a cruise for two to Mexico. Silent auction items, including restaurant gift certificates, ski passes and sports memorabilia will be awarded to the highest bidder.

Tickets to the dinner are $50. This event helps raise funds to cover the operating costs for the Boys & Girls Club of Carson Valley. The club opened this summer at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School and currently serves more than 300 children from Douglas County.

For more information, call 782-7874 or 882-8820.

-- Amy Roby can be reached at RanchosRoundup@hotmail.com.