Vale Wood Farms is giving Cambria County families a reason to head toward Loretto this October, with a pumpkin patch and seasonal activities at its working dairy. The farm at 517 Vale Wood Road combines familiar fall pleasures with an opportunity to connect a local food business to the countryside where its work begins.

Visit Johnstown’s October calendar lists the pumpkin patch from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including October 17 and 18, with $7 admission. The listed activities include games, a corn maze, a large corn box, farm animals and photo opportunities. Before setting out, confirm the day’s operating details through the farm’s event updates, particularly if weather changes your weekend plans.

Leave space for a slower outing

A farm visit works best when the schedule gives children time to explore at their own pace. Rather than racing between every attraction, pick a couple of activities everyone wants to try and let the rest of the afternoon develop around them. A pumpkin photo, time near the animals or a break together can become the memory that lasts longest.

The working-farm setting is part of the appeal, but it also makes practical preparation worthwhile. Choose footwear suitable for outdoor ground, check the forecast and ask about access if someone in your group uses a stroller or mobility device. The published attraction list is a starting point; confirm what is included and whether pumpkins, food or other purchases cost extra.

A local dairy with a long family connection

The farm’s history describes an Itle family homestead established in the Loretto area in 1841. Charles Itle later expanded the operation and named the business Vale Wood Farms in 1933, referring to the wooded valley around the farm. That background adds another layer to a visit: the seasonal attractions sit within an agricultural business whose story stretches across generations.

Today, the farm describes growing crops for its herd, processing milk from its own cows and neighboring farms, and supplying dairy products to local customers. Visitors can see the business as more than a name on a carton. It connects fields, animals, processing and delivery to the food that reaches households, schools, shops and other customers around the region.

Learning beyond the pumpkin patch

Vale Wood also offers its From Moo to You school and group tours. These scheduled programs explain what cows eat, how they produce milk and how milk becomes dairy products. October tours include a guided hayride and the seasonal pumpkin patch. All tours must be arranged in advance, so a casual pumpkin-patch visit should not be assumed to include a guided educational tour.

Teachers, youth leaders and families considering a more structured visit can read the tour brochure and contact the farm about suitable arrangements. Its events page also says individual tour options may be available for visitors who do not meet group criteria. Ask for current details rather than relying on an older brochure’s package prices or assuming a particular activity is offered every day.

The on-farm dairy store offers another way to support the business. Posted store hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Those hours belong to the store and should be kept separate from the pumpkin patch’s advertised schedule, even though the two experiences share the same farm address.

Call (814) 886-7171 or use the official events page before your trip. Bring the questions children are already asking about farms, give yourselves time to enjoy the setting and leave with a clearer connection between a fall outing and a local business. The pumpkins are a seasonal draw; the working dairy provides a story worth discovering beyond October.

Plan your visit or learn more:

Current event calendar · Farm events and tours · Farm history · Dairy store