— C.J. Harris meandered Showvaker's pumpkin patch with his soon-to-be bride Joanna Blye on Sunday afternoon.The couple, both of Hanover, Pennsylvania, picked out a few pumpkins to use as decorations at their upcoming wedding. Harris said it was his first time visiting the farm's pumpkin patch, but he had stopped there before to purchase a Christmas tree."They have a good pumpkin selection," Harris said. "So far, it's very nice and it's very pretty. We were going to do the corn maze, but we ended up watching the Ravens game."According to Showvaker's Quality Evergreens co-owner Lisa Showvaker, the farm started selling Christmas trees in 1995 and began hosting fall activities and selling pumpkins in 2004. The farm is 50 acres, with two-thirds dedicated to Christmas trees and one-third devoted to fall activities and the pumpkin patch.Showvaker said the farm's fall activities turned into a business of its own."We wanted to get the word out that we have Christmas trees and now it works both ways. People who come for pumpkins come back for Christmas trees and people who get Christmas trees come back for pumpkins," Showvaker said.The Manchester farm opens to visitors in mid-September and transitions into Christmas trees the first weekend in November. It includes a picnic area, a play area, two corn pits (corn sandboxes for kids), duck races, an obstacle course, a hay bale tunnel, a petting zoo, tractor pedaling, a birthday party tent, games and barnyard slides. The farm also features the Wagon Wheel Cafe and a funnel cake stand.Showvaker said for an additional fee, visitors can take pony rides or try their hand at fruit slingshots and fruit guns. The family added a nature trail around the farm's pond this year. It's also the 12th year for the family's 4-acre Cornfusion maze."There's not a better activity for families," Showvaker said. "There's something for everybody. For the activity fee cost [$10 per person] families can spend the whole day here, and many do.""We encourage visitors to leave enough time to enjoy all the activities. It's so much fun to see the kids playing and having a good time. Children get excited to see real-life corn and how big the pumpkins are."Showvaker explained that the later it gets in October, the busier the farm gets. They have 30 part-time seasonal employees and three full-time employees to handle the visitor flow.Showvaker said the pumpkin season "has been good." They sell a variety of pumpkins including face pumpkins (for jack-o'-lanterns), baby pams (smaller and ideal for decorations) and Atlantic giants (which make good photo opportunities).Kate Schulze, of Finksburg, said she brings her family because "it's my favorite place to take pictures.""It's fun. The staff is friendly and the farm is beautiful," Schulze said, adding, "We love the corn maze."Schulze's daughter Kayla, 16, agreed."I love the corn maze," Kayla said. "We got lost in the maze for three hours."Leanna Leuschner, of Westminster, visited the farm with her husband and their sons, ages 5 and 2."This is our second weekend in a row," Leuschner said. "It's close to home and good for adults and kids. We like everything about it. We've been crawling on the hay bales and going through the corn maze with the kids."Leuschner's friend Olivia Dean, of Brooklyn Park, came along with her family for Leuschner's second visit."We'll be back in two weeks to do the night corn maze with the kids," Dean said.Kim Taylor, of Hampstead, said she came two times last year with her children and decided to return."It's local and it's got a little bit of everything. It's good for all ages," Taylor said.Dominiq Santiago, 10, said he visits Showvaker's to see the animals and to play."I like seeing the animals do their thing, but I don't like to see them pooping," Dominiq said. "I like to play on the pirate ship and I pretend that I'm going to an island."Dominiq's grandmother Nelaida Wright, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, sat with her grandson while he ate funnel cake."I've never seen pumpkins this big," Wright said. "There's lots of nice people and lots of activities for the kids. The farm is really nice. I like it here."michel.elben@carrollcountytimes.com410-857-7873twitter.com/MichelElbenNearby pumpkin patches•Baugher's Orchards and Farm, 1015 Baugher Road, Westminster, 410-848-5541.•Brookfield Pumpkins LLC, 8302 Ramsburg Road, Thurmont, 301-898-3527.•Buppert's Doran's Chance Farm Inc., 6914 Ridge Road, Marriottsville, 410-795-6815.•Char-Lene Farm, 2504 Gillis Road, Mount Airy, 410-984-0467.•Gaver Farm, 5501 Detrick Road, Mount Airy, 301-865-3515.•Jumbo's Pumpkin Patch, 6521 Holter Road, Middletown, 301-371-6874.Local Homestead Products, 2425 Marston Road, New Windsor, 410-635-2011.•Rock Hill Orchard, 28600 Ridge Road, Mount Airy, 301-831-7427.Swells Christmas Tree Farm, 400 Harney Road, Taneytown,410-756-4397.•Showvaker's Quality Evergreens, 2020 Garrett Road, Manchester, 410-374-1499.