Mountain Valley Ranch in Ramona has opened its 2026 pumpkin patch for the season that runs through October 31, with the ranch celebrating 30 years as a pumpkin patch. The pumpkin operation has grown from about five acres to roughly 10 acres since Battaglia took over, and it still draws families every September and October for tractor rides, a corn maze and a petting zoo.
Battaglia purchased Mountain Valley Ranch from Vicki and Henry Jaggi, who had planted pumpkins and operated a small farm stand on the property before selling it to her, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. She purchased the ranch in June 1997. Her children worked at the patch. Looking back on three decades in business, Battaglia told the paper, “Thirty years goes by that fast,” and recalled the early days simply: “We just dug in and did it.”
From Five Acres to a Full-Blown Fall Destination
What started as a modest operation has expanded considerably. The ranch now grows thousands of pumpkin plants each season, including Cinderella, Fairy Tale, Jack-o'-Lantern, Big Max, Atlantic Giant, blue and white pumpkins, Munchkins, Hoargarth and gourds, per the same report. Battaglia recalled growing a pumpkin weighing about 230 pounds back in 2000, a standout in a business that now regularly welcomes an estimated 10,000 visitors during pumpkin season, by her own estimate.
Growing pumpkins on this scale follows a tight calendar. Battaglia begins planting around June 15 each year and puts the last plants in the ground by August 18, since the pumpkins take about 90 to 100 days to mature before the patch opens to the public.
Heat Is a Challenge
Heat has affected both the pumpkins and the corn maze, the Union-Tribune reports, and 10News has separately reported that triple-digit heat has slowed Battaglia's business at Mountain Valley Ranch. Despite that pressure, the ranch has still produced up to 70 tons of pumpkins in a given year, according to the station's report.
Located at 842 Highway 78 in Ramona, the pumpkin patch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October 31, and Mountain Valley Ranch provides free admission and parking. Visitors can choose from tractor rides, the corn maze, a corn cannon, pony rides, an animal petting area and photo spots, with the corn maze, corn cannon and petting zoo open all day, seven days a week.
Pricing Stays Low by Design
Pumpkins themselves are sold by the pound, with standard varieties priced at 59 cents per pound and specialty varieties at 70 cents per pound. Add-on activities carry their own small fees: the corn maze costs $3 per visitor, tractor rides and pony rides are $5 each, and two shots from the corn cannon cost $1. The animal petting area and photo areas remain free, and the ranch accepts cash, Venmo, Apple Pay and tap-to-pay.
Pony rides run all day on weekends and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, with none offered Mondays or Tuesdays, while hayrides are available on weekends only. Battaglia explained the ranch's approach to pricing directly: “We've been able to keep the prices low due to the fact that it's a family event, and we do it for the community.”
School Groups and a Busy Arena
The ranch also welcomes school groups from kindergarten through third grade for field trips priced at $10 per student, which include a pumpkin, a gourd, access to the corn maze, the animal area and the corn cannon. Beyond the patch, Mountain Valley Ranch hosts team roping at its arena, with practices held Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and jackpot events on Friday evenings starting at 7:15 p.m. The team roping season runs from April through October and wraps up with a Halloween-themed event in the final week of October.
Once the pumpkin season ends, the ranch does not go quiet. It transitions from pumpkin patch season to Christmas tree season the day after Thanksgiving, keeping the family-operated property busy through the end of the year and into the next holiday rush.
