Fall Harvest Fest at Underwood Family Farms has wholesome charms aplenty

Hearing word on the wind that giant spiders are ruling a pumpkin patch in Moorpark sounds like something out of a classic B movie, the kind of flick with over-the-top startles and comical moments.

But the oversized arachnids of Underwood Family Farms aren't scurrying nor hurrying; the made-of-hay critters are serving as charming backdrops to the pretty patch, a place that Southern California families love to pose for pictures while picking up a pumpkin or two.

And many families do swing by the farm in late September and throughout October, all to soak up some nostalgic autumn magic.

That magic arises in Moorpark starting Sept. 28 when the busy farm's annual Fall Harvest Festival opens for its month-plus run.

Pumpkins, and pumpkin-shopping, are just the start; there's the adorable Animal Center, which is home to (very real) goats, cows, bunnies, and other beasties, the Corn Maze, the Pumpkin House, Farmer Craig's Chicken Show, and the Giant Tractor Display.

Other fresh-air'd fun diversions are on the cheery schedule, the sort of pastimes that make you want to put on your favorite corduroy overalls and stick a colorful leaf in your hair.

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This is a popular event, as sure as a corn stalk is tall, and securing your weekend admission before you move in the direction of Moorpark is a must.

Weekday admission is available at the gate but come the weekends? It's all about that advance admission purchase.

You can read more on the site and peruse the lengthy list of Underwood offerings, as well as information about the theme weekends.

Friends of the Farm Weekend kicks the festival off as September winds down, while Farm Country Weekend, Antique Tractor Weekend, Wild West Weekend, and All About Pumpkins Weekend round out the gingham-and-denim schedule.

It's the 27th Annual Fall Harvest Festival, by the by, which means fall fans who attended when they were just lambs and chicks are now returning with their own little pumpkins.

It also means that weekends can truly bustle with visitors; plan your farm adventure on a weekday, if you can.

And if a Saturday or Sunday is your goal, getting those tickets online is your next, oh-so-necessary step.