Pumpkin Patch Uesugi Farms in San Martin, CA a Halloween and Fall Favorite

I love this time of year in the Bay Area. Summer is winding down and Fall is in the air.

The mornings are cool, and the afternoons, often warm and sunny. Driving down highway 101 as daybreaks offers a textural contrast of dense fog near the city, fading into an ethereal mist as you approach San Jose. There are signs of seasonal change…golden leaves, geese flying to their winter home--amber grasses blanketing the hills that skirt the brilliant green farm lands in the valley. Being in a “fallish mood”, I decided to go in search today of the best pumpkin patch farm.

Pumpkin Farm in Morgan Hill and San Martin California

Winding down the highway from San Francisco, as cityscape fades to country, and country, to farmland, I once again, find myself at the far south end of the Bay Area in Morgan Hill. As I exited highway 101 at Cochrane road, I made my way down to the main drive on Monterey Highway. The approach into Morgan Hill gives a false impression of what the quaint downtown view will offer as the contrast of new, blends to old, and somewhat rundown buildings along Monterey. But as you approach the threshold, a delightful little haven with gift shops, antique stores, cafes, and coffee shops line the streets before you.

It was hungry when i arrived, so I decided I would look for a hometown bistro to have lunch. On my left I spied a surfboard sign that said "Rosie's at the Beach". It offered sidewalk dining and looked like the kind of place i sought. I had a delightful lunch of charred Salmon tacos--excellent! The staff was friendly and the food delicious. And now it was time to get back on the road in pursuit of the best pumpkin patch.

I made my way out of town into the rural outlying area known for its agriculture. I knew there must be a pumpkin farm somewhere. Just a short drive from Morgan Hill, near the community of San Martin, I was surprised by a huge pyramid of pumpkins looming on the horizon. I knew immediately I had discovered the place I was searching for.

Uesugi’s Pumpkin Farm is every child’s (and adult’s) delight. From the drive into the back parking lot as you wind your way down the road cut through corn fields, to the landscape of fall delights. Here I found hayrides, train rides, cornfields, corn mazes, music, pony rides, a quaint store with all kinds of country fare, along with a beautiful array of autumn flowers bursting with color in fields dressed with scarecrows. There are hundreds of pumpkins to wander through…all shapes and sizes… for just the right one to take home and carve for Halloween.

I must admit, I am usually a little cynical of the “over commercialization” of any holiday…but I have to say, they make this a destination worth the drive. Uesugi has managed to maintain the “small community feel” of San Martin, while offering accommodations for large groups (including plenty of parking for cars and tour buses). According to the locals, this is a favorite trek for school field trips, along with family visits, making this a year-over-year tradition for many. My search was a success. I had found the perfect pumpkin patch…another end to a great day in the Bay Area!