[KHTS] – After nearly 40 years, Lombardi Ranch will not be open for the 2015 Halloween Pumpkin Festival, officials confirmed Thursday.
“It looks like we are not opening,” said Adria Lombardi Faulconer, who runs the ranch with her nephew, Levi Lombardi. “We have not planted anything because we don’t have water to plant anything.”
Lombardi Ranch, which began their annual festival in 1989, is famous in the Santa Clarita Valley for its festivities, corn, pumpkins, train, scarecrow contest and corn maze.
“I had to give (the corn) up,” Lombardi said about the corn and other produce, in a previous story in 2014. “It burned and died out because I was trying to save pumpkins.”
Lombardi Ranch lost about 95 percent of their corn to the drought and lack of water from the Bouquet Canyon Reservoir in 2014, Lombardi said. “There’s no telling what I lost with pumpkins.”
“We can’t even plant the sunflowers or the corn maze or anything,” Faulconer, adding that the produce would be able to be grown if water from the Bouquet Canyon Reservoir was released or if it rained in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The main water source for many of the properties in Bouquet Canyon is the Bouquet Canyon Reservoir.
After flooding 2005, silt built up in the creek making it level with the road and creating a flood hazard when it rains or water is released into the creek, according to Supervisor Michael Antonovich during a February meeting.
County officials have installed two sets of gates along Bouquet Canyon, which are closed when water is let out of the reservoir to fill up the resident’s wells, but this isn’t enough for the Lombardi Ranch farm.
In April, the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee passed Assembly Bill 353, which, if approved, would OK county officials to clean the silt out of the creek.
“It’s really hard (for us) to put it out there that we are closing,” Faulconer said. “Hopefully, we are not closing for good.”
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263 Comments
Very heartbreaking!
Great memories
Jaime Avalos Kris Anderson Kim Zenz Sweeney
This is crap.
Makes me sad , Bompee will be sad
We’re not to far from them I would let them use my water just run a long hose. This is so heartbreaking
Oh no. Sad
Cindi Rivas.
I read this last night….very sad :(
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOO
Wow this is sad!
Very sad for the community…But let’s build more homes so we can stretch our water restrictions even farther! Ughh.
Water for housing projects….but not for farmers????
Whats wrong with these people? The people in the houses have to eat….right? No logic there.
Right with you in your sentiments. Very sad that this business who have struggled for years to bring quality produce to our community plus such great memories will not be part of or fall celebration this year. Also, all the lost jobs to the many young folks who worked there.
But Jerry Brown wants to build a bullet train, and let out all the water for the smelt fish. What a twisted world. This Drought is man made. Chemtrails dry up our skys. Look it up.
Don’t worry, after brown build the twin tunnels SoCal will have all of the water.
Michael A. You are wrong about water for housing. They gave them money for alot of projects and then made water (even reclaimed )a monopoly that is NOT being released even to those in construction that are up. He’s saving it for his stinking train and billionaire contractors. He’s put us almost out if business now
More tract housing! Less things that people enjoy! Santa Clarita will be the suburb of the future. All houses and markets nothing else
I think they have to finish the tracts that they already started and then they would stop building homes until the drought ends (hopefully)
:(
Cheryl Thurber Redmond Taylor Lloyd
This sucks! This is a great place to take the kids
Ernesto Chapela ?
Dickie Dickie!!!!!
Noah Moreno
Sad I have known the lombardis for 37 years. I have been getting corn their as far back as I can remember, I went to school with rob and coached his sister. I’m heart broken and will look forward to seeing next year.
Jim the reasoning that they weren’t able to grow did not show up was it water?
Bouquet reservoir, was stopped and the wells have slowed also, that’s my guess. They were supposed to open the creek this year
Lot of family memories . That’s too bad
Marine DeArmas Freibrun :( :( :(
So sad, boy this drought is really effecting things, hope we get a lot of rain this summer!!!:/
Is the fruit and vegetable stand going to be open? Going to miss the cooked corn.
Nope. :(
They can still have tge playground and band and vendors. Pumpkins or not. Heck we can all bring a pumpkin. DONT CLOSE.
I’m with you!!
Steven Martinez
wow crazy
As a community that has enjoyed this location, it can be our time to give back. Everyone bring a pumpkin, ..bring your love and show the Lombardi family how much they mean to this community . #SHOWLOVE
I really like that idea
I think it’s a brilliant idea and I would do it if they opened the gates.
I think even if they opened for one day and allowed the community to help, everyone would partake.
I think it’s a brilliant idea and I would do it if they opened the gates.
I think even if they opened for one day and allowed the community to help, everyone would partake.
I’m in! You should start a Fb page so we can share it and get more involved.also it’s a way to make it more organized. You can specify a date and time to do this!
I love this idea let’s do it.
Nice idea, but the amount it costs them to open ie(insurance, labor, police) they would not make any money.
I am sure a dollar or two with each Pumpkin gift will help as well. I am sure they are hurting that is their lively hood.
Wow!
Sorry, but we still may get rain and thing will be better for next year. Never take good times for granted.
I’m so sick of this, the same amount of water has existed on this planet for billions of years. It’s a matter of building a canal or pipeline from Washington or Oregon, or spending the time and money figuring out how to handle flood waters. Instead of all the damn time and money we spend on free stuff takers! JHC even the Romans figured out how do dig a ditch 2000 years ago.
Boo!!!
That is soooo bad……my daughter has been going since she was 3 and now 25 we still go….what a crying shame
Karina Mendoza
What a shame :(
And Bouquet Canyon Reservoir is full! It’s not that there’s no water – it’s that they won’t release it because they don’t want to disturb some creature in the riverbed that has filled with silt. They won’t remove the silt because of this creature and if they were to release water it would flood the road. The reservoir is fuller than I’ve seen it in many years! WHAT NONSENSE!!!!
It is not full…..
It was at the end of April.
Wow
Not for a creature, thats the excuse in front of fracking!!! Fracking uses so much water and causes earthquakes,they just admitted it, and they pay billions to the politicians so they get water for fracking rather than to grow a fu king vegetable
https://ad34.assemblygop.com/video/californias-water-problems-have-more-do-politics-drought
https://ad34.assemblygop.com/video/californias-water-problems-have-more-do-politics-drought
https://ad34.assemblygop.com/video/californias-water-problems-have-more-do-politics-drought
https://www.facebook.com/EnergyIndependenceCA/posts/403484013187905
https://www.facebook.com/EnergyIndependenceCA/posts/403484013187905
https://www.facebook.com/EnergyIndependenceCA/posts/403484013187905
Yeah let’s burn through the stabilizing factors in our ecosystem. I’m sure in 5 years you won’t be posting “stupid gov, why did they take that water! We need it nowwwwwww….” lol
I am not up on all the issue, so probably should not be posting here, but was recently at a meeting in Fresno about all the water issues yo protect the smelt. All the water to central valley farmers cut, for the smelt…these farmers too can not plant…this affects us as consumers
I’m so sad I’m expecting my lil boy end of Aug and this is a family tradition… I so hope they change their minds and keep it going… Heck just because there’s no pumpkins doesn’t mean we can’t help out as a community
Jennifer Cardoza
I will miss the tomatoes! They taste like sunshine. We go every fall for pumpkins. Too sad.
Julia Rosenberg
So sad. This has been a tradition for so many years.
Sad
Awww that’s sad I love going there with my babies
Michele Slinkard Donovan Slinkard Trisha Mivelaz now I’m sad I didn’t get a pumpkin last year! :((
This is sad news. We are all having well problems, in Bouquet Cyn., so it really is no surprise.
I don’t even live there anymore and this makes me sad.
Michael Peterson Cindy Villanueva Kristin Villanueva
Tasha Slinkard I read another article saying they will be open I’m lost lol
I’m lost too!
Emily Avila Kelly Spalliero Elaine Fredine Brittnee Monreal this is horrible news!
So they aren’t going to have any veggies for sale either?
D.j. Anderson
Leslie :-(
Sad!
I’m happy I got to take my son for his first and second Halloween pumpkin picking. I used to go every year as a child. I guess we will be going to pierce college this year. I hope next year they open again. This is so sad and if people like sierra canyon apartments would stop pouring water from broken sprinklers everyday then maybe this wouldn’t have happened. Literally gallons of water pour out and they have them on every night as well as when it rains. Such a disgrace!
So sad I took my kids and grandkids
This really sucks.
I thought they just said they were gonna be open?!
This has been a family tradition for 25 or 30 years. Used to drive up from Burbank. Now we drive down from Palmdale. I brought my son and now he brings his daughter. So sad that traditions end.
Wow….sad!
Kevin Aronoff Jessica Aronoff
How sad
Israel Cruz :-(
What’s really sad is too much government interference!
Tragedy!
Im inclined to think it’s much more than water. Mom and dad retired and the kids don’t want to do it.
Very sad!
The pumpkins always pay the price.
Such heart breaking news :(
:(
I’m with Michelle Turchin Ventresca why is our city so anxious to become the San Fernando Valley. Stop trying to take up all the land for new homes and lets start taking care of our local businesses and growers. Lombardi ranch has been a landmark in this community bringing a since of community and joy to thousands not just locally but its popularity brings people from surrounding neighborhoods. Let’s show them our support this year and bring the pumpkins to them.
Natalia Jauregui
Very sad. I hope some kind of a compromise can be done. Sniff, Sniff.
Pray for rain!
That is really sad to hear.
Christine Ramirez :(
Helena Dantas Munoz:;(
Sad news ..
That is so sad, I remember talking qith one of the Lombardi girls about starting the scarecrow alley. We made a scarecrow every year. I remember the the sock monster scarecrow , its such a sad thing. We talked with Mr Lombardi about 8years ago they talk about closing then, because it was so much work,
Maybe next year ,and then everyone will really appreciate the work the family puts in. So sorry.
Hey, let’s build more homes… SMH
So sad I don’t live there any more . Will Be missed
Heartbreaking. I grew up in the SCV. I live in Oklahoma now but the Lombardi Family has been family to me since junior high school. You will never know a better example of a human being than a Lombardi. Show your love to this incredible family.
This is so heartbreaking it’s not right. This is a tradition for all Santa Clarita residents to go every year is very sad something needs to be done
Oh no!!! Emily Ann did you see this?
I just heard!!!! So horrible ):
Very sad!!!!
So sad! I have been going there since I was a little girl (30+ years). My children look forward to getting pumpkins there every year!!
This is the saddest news ever !!
Totally FUBAR!!! Water to grow delicious family farmed food is NOT A WASTE OF WATER !
Stephanie Roberts Billy Roberts Christine Andrews :(
Oh that sucks, I love that place!
Christine Jones
No,No,NO
Sad but they won’t be the only ones affected.
Nooooooooo
I’ve been taking my grandchildren there for 27 years. You can’t close!
This is so sad
Boooooo. Why????? Water shouldn’t stop them ftom transporting pumkins. Corn, or the little items that sell after all money maker are the people who come for the zoo and entertainment. Ride the rides and eat their hearts out. This is sooooo sad. My babies grew up there!!!!
Oh no!!!! :( Lulu B. Guerrero
That stinks
Wtf??? This news is more sad than the drought itself
Yes. We can still have vendors and bands and H.S. teams dance along with the playground for the kids. This is a tradition … and it is our turn to give back. We love Lombardi !!
Dam Rangers!
This sucks, Blake LOVES going there. He’s going to be hart broken
Tim, I bet he’d love a train ride to Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula. ♡
Tim, I bet he’d love a train ride to Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula. ♡
Heartbroken- our family tradition of 30 years-
That sux!
I grew up on Lombardi pumpkins, tomatoes, and corn. Since haveing kids of my own, I haven’t missed a year. My oldest is now 24. I am so, so sad to see a beautiful tradition come to a halt. I look forward to the 2016 season! In this next season some way I will have to make it an improved tradition.
I’m so sad! We have gone there since our kids were little and now our grandchild.
Terrible!
Bummer! :-(
Sad!
Been going there since i was a kid in the ’70″s. Brought my kids there and now my grandkids…. Sad
Been going there since i was a kid in the ’70″s. Brought my kids there and now my grandkids…. Sad
Very sad. Unfortunately I see Santa Clarita and LA watering sidewalks, parking lots, and streets every day. I also see water running down the street and in our local wash from ridiculous over watering.
Very sad. Unfortunately I see Santa Clarita and LA watering sidewalks, parking lots, and streets every day. I also see water running down the street and in our local wash from ridiculous over watering.
When I leave for work at 5am I have seen Ralphs on Soledad and Whites and the Shell on Via Princessa power washing their sidewalks
xoiqoivxaxkvqcocax
They have stopped watering a lot of grass in center dividers but they need to stop wasting and overwatering other parts
This is a community event, the party needs to happen anyway.
This is a community event, the party needs to happen anyway.
Bummer.
Bummer.
Sad sad sad
Sad sad sad
:(
:(
It’s such a huge loss for us, as this place is a fall tradition for our family and many others. .. hopefully it reopens next year!
It’s such a huge loss for us, as this place is a fall tradition for our family and many others. .. hopefully it reopens next year!
Sad for them. Such a tradition that brought so much joy to families. For an alternative, families can take the Filmore & Western Railway train in Filmore to Faulkner Farms in Santa Paula. They have a similar pumpkin patch/farm to enjoy.
Sad for them. Such a tradition that brought so much joy to families. For an alternative, families can take the Filmore & Western Railway train in Filmore to Faulkner Farms in Santa Paula. They have a similar pumpkin patch/farm to enjoy.
No water?
No water?
Our home preschool daycare has been doing the Scarecrow Contest for past seven years! So sad we can’t this year
Our home preschool daycare has been doing the Scarecrow Contest for past seven years! So sad we can’t this year
I agree. I think everyone should donate a pumpkin. Businesses like this give us our culture and tradition and beautiful memories. Let’s not let a drought ruin our holiday.
If they open their gates for other produce, games and small stuff. Have everyone donate a pumpkin. It’d be so worth it.
We don’t all need to buy pumpkins there. All we need is a place to enjoy and have accessible.
We love you Lombardi ranch. Please don’t close for the fall festivities.
Please
I agree. I think everyone should donate a pumpkin. Businesses like this give us our culture and tradition and beautiful memories. Let’s not let a drought ruin our holiday.
If they open their gates for other produce, games and small stuff. Have everyone donate a pumpkin. It’d be so worth it.
We don’t all need to buy pumpkins there. All we need is a place to enjoy and have accessible.
We love you Lombardi ranch. Please don’t close for the fall festivities.
Please
Sad very sad
Sad very sad
No .. So sad.. :(
No .. So sad.. :(
Wow we used to go buy corn and pumpkins. It was a verynice place to take the kids.
Wow we used to go buy corn and pumpkins. It was a verynice place to take the kids.
This is sad..
But what about El Niño it will bring the rain and it will grow the pumpkins we still have the chance. It’s only June.
Sad……very sad. Been purchasing veggies from them for over 20 years
When it is time for donations to lombardi ranch to open . I will donate
:( maybe still put together a community LOMBARDI DAY!!! Have a band playing, bake sales, community small businesses, petting zoo, byop(pumpkin), Food Fest, food contests, scarecrow contest on more of a display, just SOMETHING to keep our family traditions!!! WE LOVE LOMBARDI RANCH!!!
Chad Cefre suggests make some dioramas on the train ride! :) or how about a diorama contest in place of the scarecrow contest! :)
We would need to domore than just donate or bring our own pumpkin. Selling pumpkins and other produce is a huge income loss for them. We would have to be willing to pay an entrance fee. It costs money just for them to be open, staffed, have the hay rides, feed and care for the animals, host live music and sell food etc.
So sad
So very sad
I appreciate all you have done for our families and community. God bless you and your family.
Well it comes to this, the city can plant trees and shrubs all down Newhall Ave, irrigation to water all the city planter’s or center dividers where they won’t stop these projects until we get the water supplies needed to do it right, it takes more water to start all these plants, but the city doesn’t really care, they will keep planting plants and trees all over the city…… But
They cut the water at a produce stand, that has family tradition, of making 1000s of people happy and healthy with fresh produce and products. The city need’s to stop looking at the people, and start looking at themselves. The old saying…. Who’s watching over them, if there all watching over us…. That just wrong people, we should be watching over them, we voted them to office, and there telling you what to do…. Again they all need to look inside the box, and correct themselvesl, ……. first ……. before they start. Picking on the people that feed the people. Soon we will all be eating things that are in cans and no fresh food
Laura Amoroso Pero
Oh that’s sad between them and newhall ranch looks like the old days are over where you could go and buy fresh vegetables this was back in the sixties bye to the good old days
Wow. This is horrible
Aw man, dislike
So sad to hear this.
Cant we purchase lombardi ranch through donations? We will donate.
How can we find water for lombardi. This is ripping my heart out
What about all the great veggies they grow all summer as well
:-( will miss it
Can’t our city representatives do something about this?
So sad..
Aww I loved the place
Really? I’m coming back to SCV next week for a month and was so looking forward to Lombardi tomatoes, corn and melons.
Really? I’m coming back to SCV next week for a month and was so looking forward to Lombardi tomatoes, corn and melons.
Really? I’m coming back to SCV next week for a month and was so looking forward to Lombardi tomatoes, corn and melons.
Makes me so sad! <3 <3 <3 Mel
Makes me so sad! <3 <3 <3 Mel
Makes me so sad! <3 <3 <3 Mel
http://www.kusi.com/story/28837659/drought-watch-california-drought-is-man-made
http://www.kusi.com/story/28837659/drought-watch-california-drought-is-man-made
http://www.kusi.com/story/28837659/drought-watch-california-drought-is-man-made
Wow….this drought has officially broken SCV’s heart.
Well said…very sad…
Wow….this drought has officially broken SCV’s heart.
Well said…very sad…
Wow….this drought has officially broken SCV’s heart.
Well said…very sad…
Stop the commercial water companies from selling our water for profit, ruining family businesses like these.
Stop the commercial water companies from selling our water for profit, ruining family businesses like these.
Stop the commercial water companies from selling our water for profit, ruining family businesses like these.
https://ad34.assemblygop.com/video/californias-water-problems-have-more-do-politics-drought
https://ad34.assemblygop.com/video/californias-water-problems-have-more-do-politics-drought
https://ad34.assemblygop.com/video/californias-water-problems-have-more-do-politics-drought
Location and when? I’ll be there.
Location and when? I’ll be there.
Location and when? I’ll be there.
We should all donate a gallon of water. Our family keeps old juice jugs in the bathroom and when we take a shower instead of waiting for the water to get hot we fill a jug up.
We should all donate a gallon of water. Our family keeps old juice jugs in the bathroom and when we take a shower instead of waiting for the water to get hot we fill a jug up.
We should all donate a gallon of water. Our family keeps old juice jugs in the bathroom and when we take a shower instead of waiting for the water to get hot we fill a jug up.
dang son
Sorry you all are going thru this. It has nothing to do with global weather problems. Nature has always done this. We had the same problems here a few years ago . Lakes dried up, pumpkin farm had no pumpkins, it was awful. Now, it’s raining like crazy here. We’ve had plenty of snow and water the last few years. Anyone ever read Grapes of Wrath?
So sorry for your lost crops and revenue. I always loved going to the ranch.
Seriously?
Sarah Peña
Oh no! I love lombardis. So sad
Not sure what to make of this story. Could Lombardi NOT buy from the same vendors who provide pumpkins to megastores and resell them? OR have an outdoor festival, charge admission and concessions? Do they not know how to make a nickel in tough times?
This sate is going straight to hell. Truck the water in !! Get rid of illegals that will be less water for the state and fix all the water mains breaking! ! Billions of gallons went right down the drain while dwp goes on trips and get raises! CRAZY
That makes me so sad. This has been a tradition for us every year.
I think we can all help just by starting with sharing those videos that Rusty Walter posted above. Save the people and our farmlands and not a 3 inch fish!
It is nice to see that you all are upset about this, however, (I live in Bouquet Canyon) our family has a 3300 cherry tree farm in Visalia that we have not been allowed to BUY 1 drop of water from the state aquaduct in 2 years. We will probably have to tear out the trees. It is happening everywhere. Think about WHERE all your food is going to come from. Farmers have had to fallow (not plant or tear out) over 1 million acres of farmland in the last 2 years. The local hay farmers in the antelope valley were told they get less than 50% of the water they can buy. Less hay, less cows, lamb goat meat. WHERE will your food come from?
That sucks !!!!!
Very sad. My son is 19 now and we used take him every year.
We loose great family place/times, but our city keeps letting More snd More homes be built using ed v ed n more water. When is it going to stop
This is horrible news . But here’s SCV building homes like crazy yet are farm lands has to close . What’s wrong with this picture
I think they have to finish the tracts that they already started and then they would stop building homes until the drought ends (hopefully)
Stop building more homes in an already over populated city…….no water for folks that have lived here for ages, due to new building…..WRONG….
:/
Christina Wilson Eslick nooooooooooooooooooopoo
Loretta Sue Rea Burruso!!! :(
This is so sad. I remember going there when I was a kid and have continued the tradition. There has to be something we can do as a community
It’s not Halloween without Lombardi’s Ranch.
How sad. My kids loved going every year and getting pumpkins but more important was the memories of all the wonderful activities. So sorry about the water issue.
That’s horrible i loved going there as a kid
So many memories.
Danny Slimm D Cabrera Elmoe Cabrera
OMG…! I’m in tears just reading about this. Lombardi is our annual Halloween tradition. Please, please, please tell me you’ll be back. I heart is just aching right now. Hoping for Rain!
And yet the city keeps approving housing development all over the Scv which further drains our resources.. Why don’t they think these things through… Even simply freezing the urban sprawl would at least keep the problem from getting worse
Sad…we need to do something as a community
Nancy Verna Haley McReynolds Mike Watkins
Sadly, it’ll end up being for kids today, “Something I remember when I was a kid.”
So many fun things I grew up with in SFV are gone now.
Just awful :'(
Can we start a petition or a go fund me account to help them be able to have their festival? ?
OMG! It’s starting to show!
Abby Amy Mandy
Oh no!
My boys will be crushed. Darn it. Sad, sad, sad…….
This breaks my heart! I’m in for supporting LOMBARDI DAY!