Families Celebrate Fall at Loma Vista Farm Harvest Festival

The Loma Vista Farm Harvest Festival on October 7, 2023, brought together families in Vallejo, California, for a day filled with seasonal activities. The annual event showcased the farm’s animals and provided educational opportunities about agricultural practices, particularly for school field trips.

Children, including 18-month-old Riley Wirt, eagerly engaged in the festivities, with her mother, Chelsea Wirt, playfully imitating her daughter’s enthusiastic demands for pumpkins. The festival featured a pumpkin patch, plant sales, a variety of activities, and a magician, creating a lively atmosphere for attendees.

Jennifer Shinar, the event’s chairperson, expressed her commitment to the festival, stating, “I’ve been doing this for about 15 years and it’s obviously one of our biggest events of the year.” She highlighted the joy of seeing children in costumes playing in the pumpkin patch. The addition of a magician, which delighted the kids, was a new feature this year. Shinar noted, “The kids also love the horses and the cider press is always big. It’s cool to see kids realize where apple cider comes from because they don’t always understand things like that.”

The festival not only aimed to entertain but also focused on community engagement. Shinar noted the significance of donations and local support for maintaining the farm, stating, “Everything we do, all the upkeep comes based off of donations and the community. This isn’t meant to be a fundraiser, but we’re going to have anywhere from 600 to 700 people here today and we want to educate and inform them about what we do.”

Local resident Desiree Vicente attended with her children, Soren and Gizelle, and reflected on her connection to the farm. Having attended school there from 1994 to 1999, she remarked on the changes since her time. “I really used to like feeding the bunnies and shearing off the sheep’s skin. But it’s nice to see the place still thriving. It’s a lot bigger than I remember it. The new structures and the barn, a lot of it I don’t remember at all.”

The festival provided an opportunity for families to reconnect with the farm’s history and enjoy the seasonal offerings. Chelsea Wirt echoed the sentiments of many attendees, appreciating the event’s charm. “We have some neighbors that told us about it and it’s a great, adorable event,” she said, highlighting her daughter’s excitement for pumpkins.

As families enjoyed the day, the festival reinforced its role as a cherished community event, fostering connections between generations and promoting agricultural education in a fun and engaging environment.