DIXON, CA (MPG) - Fall: a perfect time for pumpkins! After a seemingly slumbering summer, the Silveyville Pumpkin Patch opened in a fury of orange and activities to delight all ages. One of Solano County’s most popular pumpkin patches is located at 6248 Silveyville Road in Dixon and sits on a 20-acre site cared for by the hard-working hands of the Seifert family.

Come sit on a bale of hay and watch all the activities around the barnyard while you enjoy the comfortable music-filled ranch.

For the 43 years it’s been around, owners Ted and Jeri Seifert seem to never stop adding delightful places and fun activities like the new hay maze-pyramid that after getting to the top, sends happy campers down a large black tunnel and plops them in a blanket of corn. One of the first ones down the chute was 5-year-old Ruby while parents Nadia and Gilbert Reyes took pictures. This family has made Silveyville a family tradition and they come every year.

“We also come at Christmas,” said Gilbert. “This place is a winner. It’s the first time I ever saw a blacksmith.” Blacksmithing is something children and adults seem to find fascinating, but it helps that the blacksmith himself is very friendly and good at demonstrating.

Nearby, children can try getting plastic bottles to land upright at the Bottle Flip table, also a new activity.

“We had a great opening,” said Jeri, who had just come from leading a line of ATVs around the ranch. That ride is always popular because a half dozen ATVs are rigged together and pulled through the farm on various routes through trees and tunnels. “We never know what the economy will do but when the economy doesn’t do well, we usually do better because we always have complimentary activities. Whenever I bring in something that is going to cost, I bring in a few that don’t,” she added. The ATV ride is $6.

The Duck Ride is $5 per person, and you sit on a train of open cars that take visitors back through natural surroundings where they can visit and for a quarter, get feed for the many gobbling ducks. But you can also choose to meander through the farm animal pens and even visit close up with the chickens and goats for free.

Want to get all that extra energy out of those kiddos? Let them play on the tractor playground or do some pretend driving in some of the bright-colored wood go-carts.

Some folks come just strictly looking for the pumpkins but then get endeared. Seeing it on social media brought first timers Josh and Kendra Vanguardia from Fairfield.

“It’s a really good family environment,” said Josh as he was loading a pumpkin into their wagon. “Where can you cut the pumpkin right off the vine?” They came with friends Ricky and Angelica Adams and their 15-month-old son who was busy trying to figure out the large pumpkin. For creative spirits, there are several large bins of pumpkins and gourds you can paint when you purchase them.

Silveyville is also full of picturesque settings, so families can take advantage of numerous photo opportunities, but you are asked to be mindful of posted signs where it’s prohibited.

There is free parking and free admission. Note they are closed on Tuesdays but on Mondays and Wednesdays through Fridays, they open noon to 6 p.m. On weekends, hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (707) 678-1823.