Unable to find full time work after graduating from college, Tim Vala and his wife Jan started a pick-your-own-fruit-and-vegetable farm in 1981. He didn’t know the first thing about farming so he went to similar farms in Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin. After that, he bought 20 acres of land south of Highway 370 and near 180th St from longtime farmer John Lamprecht.
He needed a tractor, of course, so he also bought one of those but there was just one problem. He didn’t know how to ride it home. I’m not quite sure how but he managed to get it back to the farm. The next step was to plant fruits and vegetables which was also a new experience for the guy who was born in Lincoln and raised in Omaha.
He proved to be a quick learner and, as most of you know, his perseverance paid off over time. The first year he dedicated 10 acres to strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables. He also dedicated a small patch of pumpkins which he sold from the back of his truck. He ended up planting way too many pumpkins that second year and he needed to get rid of them. That’s when he decided to load his tractor up with visitors and ride them down to the pumpkin patch where they could pick the overstock. It proved so popular that he ended up putting an ad in the newspaper.
That was the start of what would become Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. Over time he increased the amount of land he acquired and continued to add attractions to the farm which included a number of old buildings from its prior owners. These included the corn crib, chicken house, barn and the tool and hay sheds which among others were original to the farm.
As the number of visitors increased year after year, the Vala family put most of the money they earned back into the farm. What started off as 10 acres turned into 400 acres with 55 acres alone dedicated to pumpkins which, by now, were the star of the operation. In addition to picking your own pumpkin, the family began offering food, a petting zoo, haunted farmhouse, hayrack rides and characters in costume.
By 1990, neighbors often complained of heavy traffic, dust and noise. To ease the situation, a temporary stop sign was placed at the entrance, the speed limit was temporarily reduced while the roads were treated with a chemical to control the dust. They even installed a one-way entrance in addition to a circle drive that would reduce the number of cars driving by the neighboring houses. 31 neighbors sued Vala’s in an attempt to shut down the farm that they referred to as a Halloween theme park in 1992.
The perception its owner said is that they make money hand over fist but he pointed out the high cost of labor, not to mention the investment and limited time period they have to make a profit. After all, they don’t make any money 330 out of 365 days each year. He did say that they are fortunate and offer a nice enough product that they do make enough of that money during that time.
A business like Vala’s is also very dependent on nature which, of course, can be unpredictable. A snowstorm in 1997 caused it to shut down operations a week before Halloween. Even during good years, the work, of course, doesn’t stop on November 1st. During the off season, they winterize the buildings, repair exhibits, install new projects and plant pumpkins.
The family owned business continuously adds new attractions while the number of visitors are expected to exceed 200,000 per year. Sadly, Tim’s wife, Jan, tragically passed away in 2021. The woman that played a critical role as its marketer, merchandise manager, accountant and personnel manager who took the time to learn every employees name was credited with its very existence.
Jan told the Fremont Tribune in a 2005 interview that “It’s the memories and traditions that bring people back. We take great pride in our role as a wholesome family entertainment destination.”
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