These were just some of the sights and sounds at the 15th annual Pumpkins and Ponies event at SpringVale Farm just outside of Humboldt over the weekend.

Owners Lonnie and Bob Larson open their farm to vendors and visitors every fall for the event, inviting families to come enjoy horse shows, hayrides, a petting zoo and to pick out a perfect pumpkin.

“We feel very blessed to have this property to call home and to enjoy the farm life and we feel like it’s OK to share once in a while,” Lonnie Larson said.

Around 2,000 visitors stopped by on Saturday, Lonnie Larson said, and at least 1,500 on Sunday.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Jax Allen, 6, of Humboldt, pets Stinkerella the skunk as owner Bertie Wilson, of Humboldt, holds her at Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday, a large group from Eagle Grove came, traveling on their own hayride, Bob Larson said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Larsons were unable to offer pony rides this year, but that didn’t put too much of a damper on the event.

“We see lots of smiles,” Lonnie Larson said. “The ponies that are part of the petting zoo have been really well-loved.”

Throughout the two days, visitors watched shows by the Dragonfire Dancing Horses crew, of Hampton.

Bertie and Tom Wilson, of Mystery’s Meadow LLC of Humboldt, brought their alpacas, goats and skunk named Stinkerella for families to pet and feed.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Dillon Brundige, of Gilmore City, and his daughter Espyn, 3, say hello to the piglets in the petting zoo at Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.

Every so often, a wagon would carry groups out to the pumpkin patch to pick their own gourds. Despite the pumpkin patch being only an acre big, pumpkins were never in short supply.

“They’ve been hauling out of the patch for two days and it’s amazing they’re still coming out of there,” Bob Larson said.

The Larson family plants the pumpkin patch “the old-fashioned way” every June, walking the rows, dropping seeds and pushing them into the soil with their feet. Then they spend the next several months planning the two-day Pumpkins and Ponies event.

“There’s a lot of hard work that goes into putting this on,” Lonnie Larson said. “I guess you could say it’s a labor of love.”

Bob Larson said his favorite part of hosting Pumpkins and Ponies is seeing the smiles on kids’ faces as they return from the pumpkin patch.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Cyrus Huey, 13, of Humboldt, pets one of the ponies in the petting zoo at Pumpkins and Ponies on the SpringVale Farm outside of Humboldt on Sunday afternoon.

“It might be the littlest pumpkin or the biggest, but you see it in their faces – they’re all making memories,” he said. “Those kids will remember coming to the pumpkin patch when they were little.”

At the end of the weekend, the Larsons often donate leftover pumpkins to local day care centers or elementary schools.

“Whatever might be left after that,” Lonnie Larson said, “the deer get to feast on.”

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Horses and riders from Dragonfire Dancing Horses, of Hampton, put on shows for visitors at Pumpkins and Ponies at the SpringVale Farm outside Humboldt on Sunday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Onlookers take in the views of the show from Dragonfire Dancing Horses during Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Hurley Kutcshara, 2, Axel Kutcshara, 4, and Kimber Kutcshara, 6, all of Bode, check out the alpacas in the petting zoo at Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Verity Meinhardt, 8, meets Honey, a half-Arabian horse, at Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Happy, an Arabian Saddlebred owned by Aryana Jewell, of Iowa Falls, was one of the horses putting on a show for visitors at Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Paisley Brockman, 6, and Kayla Rohlfsen, of Algona, meet Happy, an Arabian Saddlebred horse owned by Aryana Jewell, of Iowa Falls, at Pumpkins and Ponies on Sunday afternoon.