SHELBYVILLE, Ky. — Growing and changing. It’s the way that Gallrein Farms in Shelbyville has operated for over 100 years. Now they put that mantra to use during festival season, and there is none bigger than the fall festivals.
“They started the festivals in the early 2000’s with one horse drawn wagon and now we run 8-9 tractors constantly on a Saturday and we can see 6-8,000 on a day,” Ellen Craig said. Craig is the marketing and event manager for Gallrein Farms.
In 1921 the family bought a farm in Jefferson County. 50 years later they moved out to Shelby County; focusing on dairy farming. Since then, the focus shifted again, now placing more of an emphasis on crops and expanding the tourism side of the farm.
“I started here eight years ago and so to see how far it’s come and see what we add every year and how excited the kids get at the new things, it’s really cool,” Craig said.
One of those new features is a ropes course over in the children’s area of the farm which features plenty of activities for kids of all ages.
“The corn maze, the corn pit, the haunted house, the carousel, obviously hay rides out to the pumpkin patch. We have two super slides, pedal carts, a petting zoo. That’s just a few of them,” Craig said.
“Of course, the apple cider donuts are a big hit and then we’ve got a bunch of other sweet treats and we try to add some new things in there every year,” she continued.
On the other side of the farm, the games give way to fields of beans, sunflowers, and of course pumpkins.
The farmers grow about 50 acres of pumpkins, and walking through patches you see that not all are grown the same. Colorful Cinderella Pumpkins grow next to Pie Pumpkins, those grow next to regular pumpkins, and those grow next to large, round Big Mac Pumpkins which can weigh up to 150 pounds.
Craig says that families come back year after year to get their pumpkins and fruit this time of year, and for the staff at the farm it’s humbling that the community has created traditions they come back to year after year.
“It’s nice to see old faces and new faces but it’s kind of cool to get to watch the kids grow up as they come back every year,” Craig said.
Gallrein Farms is open seven days a week through the end of October. Click here for more information.
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