Nash Ranch

OK, so, that's the end of the 2020 corn maze. Starting over.

Year 30 is in the books as we shut off the lights tonight. We owe it all to you, our community, for getting us here. Even without counting up the books, and despite the loss of some of our attractions, this has clearly been our best year ever. We noticed an unprecedented number of folks out to a pumpkin patch for their first time ever and that makes us happy. Hopefully you join us for years and generations to come as we welcome the 4th generation of Nash this winter. We learn...ed and grew, that's for sure. Our selection ran a little low at the last weeks so rest assured we've already plotted out several more acres for 2021. We learned how to control and direct larger crowds the hard way. It's always a little bittersweet to see the season come to an end after 13 months of planning and back breaking work but sharing our bounty with you is what we work so hard for every year. If we didn't live up to your expectations, let us know and give us your suggestions and if we did, tell us what you liked. Here's to a better end to 2020 and a new start in 2021. See more

Always nice to be part of a positive impact on the community. The people of the community made this business and it's always nice to give back.

We still have thousands of pumpkins on the vine for this weekend and a great fall produce display. Come on out this weekend; we're open, albeit with a few COVID modifications,

Finally feeling like Fall around here. Great day for a tractor show since the rain forecast was reduced.

It was a great weekend, with a little fire smoke, for pumpkin hunting. These boys came out with their folks end of the day Sunday and found some monster pumpkins. There is a whole lot more where these beauties came from.

We're OPEN, Saturday, October 3 is our opening day ! Come on out and get at pumpkin. We have a great crop of pumpkins and corn maze with lots of twists, turns and dead ends. Also a sunflower patch. Some of our activities will be on a modified schedule for COVID, but the pumpkins are available as always.

Some of new varieties this year, from top left, clockwise: Polar Bear (Zeke for scale), One Too Many, the aptly named Mellow Yellow and the poorly named Royal Blue.

Look at this bad boy! There aren't many giants this year due to the ongoing Deerpocalypse 2020 (fitting for this year, of course) but the ones that survived are monsters. For those of you who insist on having the biggest pumpkin in the neighborhood, this is your warning that supply is limited.

Last year the zinnias bloomed in November and this year I'm a month too early. I'll get it right someday. At least the sunflowers look about right.

Meet our new wavy arm inflatable tube deer repellent! Even if it doesn't work, it's good for hours of hilarity.

Found some real big guys out here this morning while irrigating. Give them 5 more weeks and they'll be huge! It's always a relief to get some giant pumpkins as their genetics are a little touchy and they can't hide from the deer at all. With plenty more pumpkins in stages from flowers to small fruit, we'll have a constant supply all October.

The corn maze is complete, now it just has to grow. Hopefully the county allows all, or at least most, of our attractions to run.

Pumpkins, squash and corn are all planted and growing like mad. Despite the best efforts of the deer, everything is looking great. Those deer have been especially persistent and plentiful this year.

Planted the last of our planned pumpkins and squash today on the same day the first flowers from the giant pumpkins started blooming. Here's to hoping for a healthy and busy October!

First pumpkin of our 30th year of pumpkins! Variety: Dill's Atlantic Giant (up to 300 pounds!) Planted: June 2

We are finally getting some hay cut, a little over ripe as we were waiting for the rain to go by. So far the hay looks really nice and mostly rain free, save for a minor shower Sunday. Should have some baled tomorrow evening and ready for pickup on Wednesday.

Putting in rows, under canine supervision, before the rain today. We'll make the rain work for us, for once, and get all of the giant pumpkins planted on time and into great moisture.

So, we have a beautiful oat hay crop coming along, although it's a couple weeks behind normal maturity due to our planting very late this year. We will probably start cutting this hay in a week right as we need to start planting pumpkins.

This weekend is traditionally a big production for us but that rain really set us back. We finally got into the fields to plow the cover crop under and start preparing the seed bed for pumpkins. Hopefully we can be planting by next weekend, which is right on time for the super giants.

This thick crop is planted as cover to improve the soils with nitrogen and organic material. We mow it down then plow it in to keep the soil healthy. Maybe we should go into growing peas; I’m good at this crop. Also, Winnie the Poodle loves chasing sticks in the deep grass.

D2 practicing social distancing today while working on plowing down the old corn maze.

So. while practicing social distance (staying out of everyone else's aura), tour the ranch with a few pics.

A collection of some of our goofs over the years.

So, yesterday D2 was helping get some field work done ahead of the rain. She's such a big help and it's always appreciated. Finishing the last pass she decided to take a short cut on the turn around and, as she says, "clipped a tree."

Believe it or not, today marks the first day of pumpkin season 2020. It's never too early to be in the festive mood! Here's to day one of our 30th Pumpkin Patch.

This is one of the gratifications we get back from all the school field trips to the pumpkin patch. We recently received a couple packages of letters from kids in a class field trips. In this case, Millville Preschool sent us this cool poster where each of the kids put their crayon mark on the pumpkins. Cool stuff.

Nash Ranch Corn Maze will be open Halloween Night until 9:00 pm. Kids in costume get free entry and a treat. Come out for a safe and fun experience for the kids.

Foothill FFA parking crew last weekend. They did a good job (especially considering the weather) and great fund raiser for your group. Thanks for the help.

There is still a huge number of pumpkins in the field, great selection and quality still available. And, YES, the pumpkin patch, corn maze and haunted house will remain open regardless of electric power supply.

To answer this week's most popular question: farmers are never without power. Doc Nash bought this Ford 4000 new in 1963 and while it barely survives after all those years of hard work, it can sit and spin a big generator. However, some activities (namely the bounce houses) may be closed for safety.

Wow, what a beautiful day for pumpkinairing. A rain shower overnight and then a nice cool breezy day with lots of pumpkins and produce, food and fun for kids. Above all, this is where you can get pumpkins, lots of them.

So much for a 20% chance of rain! Regardless, there's a 100% chance that we're open today. It's really not too wet but just in case: don't wear your best shoes.

Pumpkin Patch sunset photo this past Saturday. It was a spectacular weekend for pumpkinaring. We still have a huge crop of pumpkins available, Come on out and find your big beauty !

Its a beautiful day for pumpkins! Now if only I could get all the flowers to bloom within 30 days of each other...

Yep, we're open today, sans electric power, and with wind. We're keeping everything watered down for dust control, so don't hesitate to come out and do your pumpkinairing.

These guys do Halloween right. That’s a 144 lbs pumpkin for the front porch. We’ve been fighting soil issues for a few years so it feels good to have finally gotten everything just right.

Nash Ranch Pumpkin patch is now open for the season. Open at 10:00 daily til 6:00, corn maze and haunted house open til 11:00 Fridays and Saturdays. Come out and enjoy the beautiful fall weather.

Finally feeling like Fall around here. We open for our 29th anniversary tomorrow! On another note, looks like we'll have to find a new place for the Mud Mash finish line. It was just too gravelly which caused the sides to collapse, partially filling the pit. Last year it took almost 3 months for the pit to drain. Expect improvements every year!

Bunch of travel nurses enjoying the area #california #pennsylvania #newyork #ohio

Lambs and dogs. The lambs are fat and ready for sale. The dogs are not. Let us know if you are interested in a custom butcher lamb for your freezer.

Sunrise Rotary Club annual Mud Run at the Nash Ranch. Gitn muddy at the Pig Barn mud hole.

Wow, what a day for Redding Sunrise Rotary Club and their Mud Run at the Nash Ranch. This is their fund raiser for scholarships to university, college or trade school. Over 600 participants and an absolutely perfect sunny fall day.

Hey all, getting lots of questions about the Mud Mash. I asked the Rotary club and according to them, the first heat takes off at 10. Be here at least a few minutes before that and you’ll be good to go.

Boo says the Mud Mash is looking ready. You can sign up at the gates if you haven’t already. All proceeds to charity!

So, September 1 we lost a Shasta County Pioneer and long time neighbor on Old Oregon Trail, Ken Doelker 1935 - 2019. He started in the backhoe business in the 1960's leading to Doelker Construction 1975 til around 2010 or so. Upon his retirement, he became a regular at the Nash Ranch helping out with his equipment, our equipment, or what ever. He would stop by at least weekly, sometimes daily, just to check on us to see what we were doing on the ranch see if he could help ...out. Except Thursdays when he would take his wife Joan to get her hair done and then to the casino for a little gambling and a dinner out. Since I've been back on the ranch from 1990 or so, there has always been one of the senior neighbors checking on me, first "Bert" Bertagnoli up the street, then Lyle Morey down the street, Bob Manning across the street, even my own Dad would come out and check on us almost every day that we were working on the ranch. Just when I thought I had no one left to check on me, Ken Doelker showed up one day and was great company for the time. It's going to be a little quiet around here without him "checking" on us. And this time, I don't think there is anyone else to take his place. I think we're on our own from here on. https://evalleytimes.com//in-memoriam-kenneth-herman-doe/ See more

Good thing this weekend is a mud run and not first week of the harvest festival. This photo from the weekend, prior to rain. This coming weekend is looking beautiful though, so don't wait to sign up for the Mud Mash. It's a fundraiser for the Redding Sunrise Rotary fund, so it's fun for a cause!

A collection of pics from July in the pumpkins.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Mud Mash! It’s put on by the Sunrise Rotary to fund their scholarships.

Early morning irrigation today. Got all our signs up on the first of the month, maybe for the first time ever.

Because we rotate fields every 2-4 years, everything we think up has the added wrinkle of needing to be easily moveable. Here’s the sky bridge going into this year’s corn maze.

Pumpkins, squash, melons and corn are all finished planting as of Sunday. The giants are putting out good looking flowers and the bees are happy. So are the deer but that's not as bubbly a feeling.

First watering of 2019. The giant pumpkins are already a few inches in diameter and practically shooting up.

First pumpkin of 2019. Get excited!

Planted the first pumpkins of 2019 this week and we’re doing final soil prep for the corn maze now. Soil is in absolutely perfect shape for planting. Hopefully you’re as excited about Fall as we are!

We now have nearly 3 inches of rain in the middle of May. The remarkable thing is we don't have any hay down in the rain. So, in anticipation of the rain we worked our tails off weekend before the rain to get the pumpkin patch ready for rain. Tomorrow we start working the spring tooth field cultivator to mulch the top two or three inches to save the moisture gained. If we do it right, we can plant to that moisture for about a month without pre-irrigation.

Friday evening Louis finished plowing the pkn field, 15.7 acres. Good soil moisture perfect for plowing.

Busy weekend, we applied about 1,500 pounds of lime per acre, another 1 pound of Boron per acre (try spreading that evenly over 43,560 square feet, just a drop on each square) and then got started plowing with our rebuilt Atlas plow.

We put the lime in the pumpkin patch. (You know you can’t help but sing it). After a long and wet winter we’re finally in the fields for our 28th annual pumpkin patch. Later today begins the first run of our rebuilt plow.

Took delivery of a load of ag lime yesterday. We will apply this to the pumpkin patch field to help correct low ph. So, now that we've had our typical 20 minute spring, its summer sun and heat starting up this week. We have some catching up to do in our field work to get ready for planting pumpkins.

Another week, and another 4.7 inches of rain. Will it ever stop ? So, the pond is now FULL !

Whew, glad that is over, about 3.7 inches of rain this week at the Nash Ranch. Redding Airport had only about 1.9 inch while Mountain Gate is reported at over 16 inches.

So, since that first little lamb New Year's day, we got 17 more of them within the next 18 days. 100% survival, which does not always happen. So far looks like a good lamb crop for 2019. Happy lambs.

So, out with the old 2018, in with the new 2019 and first lamb of the season. Happy New Year !

The produce wagon is open, located just inside the gate on the drive way. Feel free to pick up what you need: decorations, squash, pumpkins, etc. Honor pay in the box on the left side of the wagon. Large pumpkins $2, small pumpkins $1, others as marked.

Lots of left over pumpkins, come out and get them ! Decorations, livestock feed, whatever. $20 a pickup load.

Nash Ranch corn maze open Halloween night till 10:00. Come Trick-or-Treat at the corn maze Wednesday night.

Last weekend! Still a whole pile of pumpkins out here of every variety. The north end of the field appears especially untouched, so come and get them.