ORWIGSBURG, Pa. — From hayrides to pumpkin patches and more, fall means big business for many.
The annual fall festival at Pioneer Evergreen Farms in Orwigsburg is a popular draw for young and old alike, but this year, it is canceled.
"We feel that we want to keep our customers and our guests safe, we want to keep our vendors, our employees, you know everyone is safe and healthy so…hopefully we can move onto brighter days next year," said Kenny Fetherolf of Pioneer Evergreen Farms.
It was a tough call to make, but in the end, organizers said there was just too much uncertainty.
"We had a lot of unanswered questions. We asked all of our local officials, we asked the department of amusement, we asked the CDC, and no one could give us clear cut answers on what we were or were not to do. So from our interpretation, a lot of our attractions were not able to be operating."
Ard's Farm in the Lewisburg area is a popular spot each autumn with pumpkins, hayrides, a corn maze, and more. But this year, there is a lot of concern about what fall will bring.
The fall fun will go on, but the crowds will be limited, and certain attractions will change.
"Trying to restructure everything and make it safe for people to do on the farm, and it is nice because it is an outdoor activity so we can really spread people out, especially if we limit the number," said owners Kyle and Alan Ard.
The farmers said it is normally tough having a seasonal business, but they mostly worry about weather.
They never imagined having to cope with a pandemic.
"You know we sort of know what to expect. However, we were not planning to have to cancel an entire season," said Fetherolf.
At Pioneer Evergreen Farms, they also do Christmas tree and holiday sales and have a year-round flower business, too.
Ard's Farm has holiday sales, too, a farm market with produce, prepared food, and more.
Folks at both businesses are hoping to make up for some of the financial losses from this fall.