As families entered the haunted house at Dell’Osso Family Farm — some fearful and some excited — 11-year-old Sha’Day Danis ran back out the entrance with her mother after a big scare.
“Do not go to the cage,” Sha’Day warned fellow visitors as her mother broke into laughter.
A few yards away from the haunted house, Colin Nguyen stood atop one of two towers in the middle of a corn maze.
The 14-year-old watched fellow maze visitors navigate the labyrinth. Nguyen said he visited the farm every year as a child. “It is very nostalgic for me, coming back to the farm,” he said.
The Dell’Osso family has welcomed the public to visit their farm in Lathrop to take part in fall festivities every day of the week in October.
The 120-acre farm is outfitted with a corn maze, haunted house, tiny town, slide hill, mini golf and more. The Halloween costume store is a new addition this year. Nearly 200,000 people visit the farm every year.
The farm started in 1920 when three brothers, who moved from Italy, started growing asparagus in the area, said Susan Dell’Osso. Her husband, Ron, is a third-generation owner of the farm.
“In 1997, my husband and I opened the farm to the public, and this is our 27th year,” Susan Dell’Osso said.
Originally, the farm had a corn maze and a hayride alongside pumpkins that Ron Dell’Osso grew.
“What I love the best is seeing families who came here 27 years ago, and now they’re bringing their kids back,” Susan Dell’Osso said. “We have lots of multiple generations that have come through.”
The farm is open every day through Oct. 31, Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
