CANDOR, NY – A family farm market known for its extensive fall harvest displays is the subject of our latest Food and Farm Showcase.

Iron Kettle Farm on Route 96 in Candor is entering its busiest time of the year when it will sell thousands of pumpkins grown on the farm.

The market has a variety of other local and regional produce including winter squash, tomatoes, sweet corn, apples and cider.

Plus Iron Kettle has its own lines of fudge, baked goods and jellies with razzleberry jam being the most popular.

And there are plenty of activities and attractions for children and adults including playgrounds, a spook barn, corn maze and a miniature train.

Kids can even feed some of the farm animals including goats and ducks and peacocks.

Owner-partner Jen Jennison says it’s a scramble to get ready for October.

“Without Halloween, I don’t know if we could be in business. We do the majority of our business in 4 or 5 weekends in October every year. We’re very fortunate that even with the pandemic, we’ve been able to be open last year with limited capacity and being able to be open this year,” says Jennison.

Jennison’s parents Skip and Jeanne Jackson started with a small farm stand in 1969 selling pumpkins, tomatoes, sweet corn and strawberries.

They started creating pumpkin characters as a way to entice people to stop in.

Now, the displays have grown to almost 200 nursery rhyme characters, many of which have been around for years.

“Grandparents can come with their grandkids, or great-grandparents, and go through old memories, old pictures of when they were here. The costumes have changed but some of the props are still the same. We’re just trying to have a fun, family experience without being plugged into a phone,” says Jennison.

Jennison’s siblings Bonnie and Brian also help to run the operation.

Iron Kettle has two seasons: a Spring season selling bedding plants and hanging baskets beginning in May and then the Fall season that starts in August.

In the Fall, an expanded gift shop takes over the greenhouses.

The market is open 9 to 6 every day and will close for the year after October 31st.

Jennison says the hope is to have some of the Fall activities open by the last weekend in September.

But you can check on their progress by calling 659-7707.