WARRINGTON, Pa. (WLVT) — Winding Brook Farm in Warrington, Bucks County opened in 1805 and has been passed down in Lori Garges Myers’ family for six generations.
Last week, the farm announced that a number of fall events will change or be canceled altogether due to Covid-19. Myers says fall agritainment, like pumpkin picking, corn mazes and hayrides, helps to sustain the farm from year-to-year.
"Normally, we’re open to the public with no reservations," Myers told PBS39. "This year, we’re only doing group events by reservation and individual pumpkin picking."
She’s been sifting through an eight page packet of operational guidelines from the CDC to make a plan.
"The farm is going to take a hit," said Myers. "The reason we do the fall agritainment is to sustain the farm. We’re going to have to scale back other things we do around the farm so that, hopefully, we can be here next year for the public."
Myers’ farm produces corn, soy beans, wheat, hay and straw. She sold her dairy cows several years ago, but still raises cows for beef. When people scrambled to stock up on meat at the onset of the pandemic, she says the farm had trouble finding butchers to cut and package its meat.
"The butchers were so backed up because people were trying to buy and stock up on beef. They had employees who were ill from Covid-19, so they were also short staffed," said Myers.
So far, daytime pumpkin picking is still on the roster of Winding Brook’s fall events. Groups of up to 50 people will be able to make a reservation to have their own hayride and a bonfire area at night. The corn and hay mazes have been cut from the fall lineup.
"It wouldn’t pay for us to plant the corn and make the maze," said Myers. "We have a picture we model it after each year and it takes a lot of work to get it accomplished."
She plans to hire only half of the 70 “haunters” normally brought on staff to operate a haunted attraction that she hopes to offer visitors. Myers is hopeful group hayrides will be allowed. She'll be reviewing her plans with the health department in the next few weeks.
"I’m worried, but I also know that there’s not much that I can do about it," said Myers. "So, we’ll offer what we can and just go from there."
You can learn about ways to support Winding Brook Farm by visiting their website and Facebook page.
Watch the video version of this story in the player below.