Cameron and Natalie Andelin with their children on their 150-acre farm off Pyramid Highway. Courtesy Andelin Family Farm
What started out as a modest pumpkin patch has turned into a generational business for the Andelin family.
Back in 2010, Cameron Andelin and his wife, Natalie, decided to host a pumpkin patch as a family project for their five children on their 150-acre farm off Pyramid Highway. That initial venture wasn’t profitable, but Cameron Andelin said it was a great family experience that shared the agricultural roots of the farm with friends and visitors.
Fifteen years later, Andelin Family Farm has become a cornerstone institution in Spanish Springs that’s beloved by children and adults. Andelin Family Farm is a savvy blend of old-school farm fun and agritourism events.
“We’ve just continued growing ever since,” Cameron Andelin told NNBW as he readied the farm for its most popular springtime attraction: the baby animal and tulip festival, which kicks off April 9. Visitors to the farm can experience newborn calves, lambs and goats, which is hugely popular among younger children.
“I really love spring with the baby animal and tulip festival,” Andelin said. “Spring represents such a time of rebirth and renewal, and to see people come out and pet a baby goat or see the birth of a lamb brings a lot of joy to us when we see the joy it brings to other people’s lives.”
Andelin Family Farm started with just a pumpkin patch, but the Andelins have added dozens of attractions over the years, including gemstone mining, mini zip line, train and pony rides, barnyard activities and u-pick pumpkin patch. Events such as zombie paintball and the corn maze in the fall are can't-miss attractions.
“I give a lot of credit to my wife for her creativity,” Cameron Andelin said. “We want to create a place for people of all ages and groups, whether you are coming with children, grandchildren, friends or your significant other, you can enjoy attractions based in agriculture and the outdoors.
“We have so many ideas,” he added. “As much as I want to grow and add new things, Natalie slows me down. We have tried to grow deliberately and in some ways slowly because we don’t want to get over our skis as far as our know-how, staffing and finances.”
Courtesy Andelin Family Farm
Andelin Family Farm’s baby animal and tulip festival kicks off April 9.
In addition to being a hub for agritourism in Spanish Springs, Andelin Family Farm is a working farm. In 2024 the farm had 12 acres in pumpkins, its best-selling crop. Over the years, the farm has added more hay fields, as well as a network of irrigation systems to irrigate new acreage – historically, the farm was watered by runoff from neighboring farming operations.
“We continue to expand our actual farming operations, which is something we are proud of and want to continue,” Andelin said.
All hay grown on the farm is kept for its animals. Andelin Family Farm also grows tulips and sunflowers, as well as tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and sweet corn that is sold locally. Animals on the farm include chickens, goats, sheep, llamas, alpacas, pigs, cows, horses, emus and rabbits.
Fall is peak season at Andelin Family Farm, which employs about 200 full- and part-time employees. However, for the year more than 360 people work at Andelin Family Farm, mostly during festival time. It’s a first job for countless Spanish Springs teenagers, and a welcome break from the drudgery of home life for many retirees.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to do something meaningful,” Andelin said.
Cameron Andelin – oldest of six Andelin boys – used to visit the farm as a child, and his parents purchased the farm in 1981 from the Gaspari family, who continued to live there and work the land. As the Andelin boys grew, they worked in the hay fields and took after the cows. In 1992, Andelin’s parents built the farmhouse and moved the family on to the property.
“The intention of buying the farm was really for us to learn how to work,” Andelin said.
In August 2009, the elder Andelins packed up and moved to Idaho, so Cameron and Natalie moved to the farm. Until recently, the farm was a secluded oasis, but residential development has encroached upon Andelin Family Farm from all directions. Contrary to popular belief, Andelin said, the family has not sold any of its land – development stems from the sale of neighboring Oppio Ranch, he said.
While the sight lines aren’t quite what they used to be, the unprecedented residential growth in Spanish Springs has also led to more visitors.
Courtesy Andelin Family Farm
In 2024, Andelin Family Farm had 12 acres in pumpkins, its best-selling crop.
“The whole Spanish Springs valley used to be farms and wide open space,” Andelin said. “It’s definitely changed some things for us from an events standpoint. When we started doing the pumpkin patch, it felt like you were driving into the country. But we always knew at some point there would be houses and development on all sides.
“For the most part, everyone in the community is very supportive (of the farm),” he added. “The positive thing is that we have had more people come out and participate in our events; we have built-in customers that can just walk to the farm.”
Rising inflation over the last few years has been challenging, Andelin noted. Rising costs for goods, payroll, fuel and fertilizer have bit into the farm’s bottom line. Attendance peaked in 2021 following government-mandated COVID-19 restrictions, but it’s held steady the past few years.
As the farm continues to grow and add new events, it brings increased regulations, licensing, permitting and taxes that can be daunting – and costly – to manage, Andelin said. The Andelins have been working closely with the City of Sparks to help write agritourism codes that will overlay on the farm and help it continue operating for decades to come.
“We are trying to establish a framework that will allow us to do these events well into the future,” Andelin said. “I feel really good about what we have been able to create for the community. People can come out and spend a whole day here picking pumpkins, going through the corn maze, eating at the food truck or doing zombie paintball. All of those activities are appropriate for all ages, and it’s cool to offer so many things and have it appeal to so many ages.
“What we do is challenging and difficult both physically and emotionally, but I really like taking an idea, working really hard, and seeing it come to fruition; that’s my passion,” he added.
The farm is located at 8100 Pyramid Way in Sparks. Go to andelinfamilyfarm.com for information.