It's a pumpking paradise open in Ellsworth

By Billie Shelton — Daily Freeman-Journal Writer

ELLSWORTH - Pumpkin Paradise is one of the newest ways to celebrate Halloween in Hamilton County.

Located on an Ellsworth-area farm, Pumpkin Paradise has something for all ages-whether you prefer to take in the Wicked Woods Halloween Maze, walk along the Ghost Garden, go on a hayride, or wander through a five-acre pumpkin patch to choose the perfect pumpkin. In the old hay barn you'll find plenty of farm critters to visit, including miniature horses and donkeys, chickens, goats, peacocks, and Louis the llama. If you'd prefer to celebrate the season by sitting around a barnyard bonfire or a picnic table, that's part of the fun, too.

Pumpkin Paradise is located at Harvest Moon Manor, otherwise known as the farm home of Rita Pillard and Tim Schults at 2948 Vail Avenue.

"We've tried to make this all as kid friendly as possible for ages 14 and down," explains Schults as he leads a tour of the barnyard. "To bring it from what it was to where it is now was a tremendous amount of work." The couples' effort to transform a simple Hamilton County farmstead into a mecca for anyone who enjoys Halloween is evident at every turn, as is their emphasis on fall holiday fun rather than fright.

So is their love for Halloween, which Schultz notes "goes a long way back," even before the couple bought the acreage and relocated there from Waterloo just a few years ago. This is the second Halloween season Harvest Moon Manor has been open for business.

In spite of most uncooperative weather when it was time to plant his pumpkins last spring, Schults is proud of his crop, which he estimates numbers about 1,000 of several varieties in all shapes and sizes. Guests can pick their own pumpkin from the patch or purchase one that is already picked. Gourds and Indian corn are also grown there and will be available for sale.

Pumpkin Paradise is open to visitors the next four weekends on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. There is an admission fee for everyone over the age of three. Group rates are available on Fridays.

"There is just something magical about the whole thing," Schults says as he takes a break at a picnic table and looks around the farm. "This has truly been a blessing to us."