Itinerary: Harvest Time

It’s easy to forget about seasons in perpetually sunny Southern California, where the weather varies only slightly, from no rain to a little rain, from average temperatures of 60 degrees to 75. But mid-October is harvest season, even here.

You don’t have to get far outside the Los Angeles city limits to be reminded that agriculture remains one of California’s largest industries, amounting to upward of $20 billion a year.

Friday

In Saugus, north of Los Angeles, Lombardi Ranch has been showing people how a family farm works for years. The ranch has been in the family since the 1940s and each year some 8,000 schoolchildren visit on field trips.

Through Halloween, the ranch has on display the 64 entries in its 10th annual scarecrow contest. These aren’t just of the straw-stuffed variety--there’s a firefighting cow, barnyard animals, and the dreaded Y2K computer scarecrow.

The farm’s roadside produce stand has corn, tomatoes, onions and of course pumpkins for sale--all grown on the ranch. (29527 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus. Open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission free. [661] 296-8697).

Saturday

Take your pick of pumpkin festivals.

Out west, at the Calabasas Pumpkin Festival (Paramount Ranch, 2813 Cornell Road, in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $8; teens and seniors, $6; ages 4 to 12, $4; under age 4, free. [818] 225-2227). If 30 tons of pumpkins aren’t enough to hold your interest, there’s also a battle of the country bands, salsa and line dancing, plus Indian- and pioneer-style villages. Or try your skills in one of the contests: pumpkin pie eating, pumpkin seed spitting or pumpkin bowling.

To the east, the College of Agriculture at Cal Poly Pomona is hosting a free Pumpkin Festival, with a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, pancake breakfast ($3); horse show (Saturday at 2 p.m., $2) and a petting zoo. The festival, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, is in the Kellogg Arabian Horse Center (3801 W. Temple Ave., Pomona. [909] 869-2215). Stop by the Insect Fair ($4; ages 12 and younger, $3) in the campus’ University Union. Some 200,000 preserved bugs are on display from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., also thanks to the College of Agriculture. Don’t miss the cockroach races.

To the south, the 14th annual Arborfest runs Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Fullerton Arboretum (1900 Associated Road. $5; kids, free. [714] 278-3579). There’s no guarantee of pumpkins, but there will be apple pressing, butter making and a hay ride.

Sunday

Check out your local farmers’ market. Markets are heldthroughout the week, but there are Sunday markets in Hollywood, Long Beach, Studio City and Santa Monica. To find the market nearest you, search for farmers market at https://www.calendarlive.com.

At 1:30 p.m. take the kids, a pillowcase and some old clothes to Wildwood Canyon Park (off Harvard Road, north of Sunset Canyon Drive in Burbank. $1. [818] 238-5378) for a scarecrow-making workshop.

Then, to really immerse yourself in some agriculture, try your luck--or skill--at the Amazing Maize Maze (Hueneme and Los Posas roads, Camarillo. $8. Ages 4-18, $5. Open Thursday through Monday, 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. [805] 495-5678.) This new addition to the fields of Ventura County has left more than a few people frustrated. Some two miles of paths wind through four acres of corn. If you’re lucky, you can find the exit. If you’re persistent, you can find 12 pieces of a map that will help you out.