Amy Batista, Special Writer
MONROE — The third annual Lighted Jack-O’-Lantern Display was back this past weekend at Pop’s Farm Market on Cranbury Station Road in Monroe along with other new attractions, like the Barn-O-Fun and hayrides.
The Byrne family, which owns the farm, got creative this year with new family entertainment in hopes of generating some extra income during these hard economic times.
In addition to the jack-o’-lantern display, there was a straw maze, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo and more. In addition, a hayride was being offered during the daytime on the farm. All these activities now gave families a reason to hang around the farm and make a day of their trip there.
More than 305 pumpkins were hand-carved for the barn, and extra ones were put on display outside the barn at the farm. All of them were carved by about 20 family members and friends who were willing to come after work and help the Byrne family for a couple hours during the week to carve pumpkins each night before the event.
Over the years, the setup of the display has had changes and has been moved from the greenhouse to the barn.
”We started out in the front, real small with 50 pumpkins, then we moved it out back here (outside) and had issues with the weather,” said Diane Bryne, of Pop’s Farm Market. “Then we moved it up to the barn.”
The event is always held the weekend of Columbus Day for one weekend only since the pumpkins only last for a few days once they are carved. How long the pumpkins last depends on the weather.
”Last year, the pumpkins melted down on us. By Monday, you couldn’t tell what any of the intricate designs were,” Ms. Bryne said. “They were just gone. Just mush.”
She added, “Friday night is your best viewing. Saturday is good too. Sunday if it is a little too warm, it starts going downhill.”
Carving started Monday afternoon prior to the event and was done Thursday around 11 p.m. When they are done carving, the pumpkins are put in coolers and taken out the morning of the display.
Ms. Bryne is one of the main carvers. Alone, she carved around 80 pumpkins. An intricate design can take her a half an hour to carve.
For the Brynes the display is truly a family event, including the children.
”I came with my sister, Christina,” said Suzanne Healey, of Cranbury. “I am friends with the family. This is my second year carving pumpkins. I carved a total of 12 pumpkins in a course of the three nights.”
She added, “We can choose whatever we would like to carve. Some of my designs include the PartyLite and John Deer symbol. It was fun, and I got better at it this year.”
”I think I carved about six pumpkins, not too many. It was my first year,” said Christina Tindall, of Cranbury. “My favorite was the Tiffany cat that was an accomplishment for me because this was my first time. But the rest for me were the crazy faces. Next year, I will step it up a level.”
Children were in awe as they walked into the barn to find hundreds of pumpkins lit up on stacks of straw. Not only were the pumpkins lit up, but some were even in different colored lights.
Every pumpkin had a different and unique design from favorite television shows, movies, singers, icons and stores like Wawa.
There was something for everyone to relate to. People spent a long time walking from one side of the barn to the next and back checking out the pumpkins. Some pumpkins had two pumpkins attached like trains or an arm and a hand together.
”We came the first time in 2003, and then they stopped it for a while, and we haven’t been back since,” said Eileen Loscalzo, of Monroe. “They (the kids) love it.”
”This is our first time coming, but I have bought stuff from this farm,” said Theresa Heiser, of Monroe. “I think it’s great. It’s unbelievable. I think whoever did all this is amazing. A lot of great artists and creativity here. I could never do it.”
”For an event like this to be local and to come here is great,” said Kitrina Lisiewski, of Monroe.
”It’s creative and artistic,” said Carli Coester, of Cranbury.
”We will definitely come back and see it next year,” said Darlene Coester, of Cranbury.
Some people came from the local area while others traveled a bit far just to see this special display they heard great things about. They had to see if for themselves like the Bischoff family, of Toms River.
”A friend of ours from our home-school co-op told us about this fabulous jack-o’-lantern display that goes on and that it is only the one weekend of the year so we decided to go check it out,” said Donna Bischoff. “So we drove up from Toms River, and it was definitely worth the drive.”
”My favorite pumpkin is Phineas,” said Luke Bischcoff, of Toms River.
”Mine is SpongeBob,” said Susie Bischcoff.
For some, the jack-o’-lantern Display was a first time experience for them, and they didn’t even know it was right around the corner from where they lived.
”My daughter, Ava, was amazed,” said Francine Iannelli, of Twin Rivers. “This was the first year we went. (It’s) such a wonderful thing to have happen annually in our area. What a fabulous farm.”
She added, “The Barn of Fun was incredible. We met such great people and their families who run the farm. They were so helpful and enthusiastic.”
”It was the best thing I have seen for Halloween,” said Ava Iannelli, of Twin Rivers.
Meanwhile, for Kate Murphy, of East Windsor and her girls, even though it was a first-time experience, there was so much to take in that she was overwhelmed and said she would come back to take it all in. She even noticed the underlying Irish theme.
Ms. Murphy pointed out the numerous Irish-theme carved pumpkins like a Celtic Cross, leprechaun and so on and asked if by chance if the Brynes were Irish.
”I would say that you do not know where to look first, and even after being in there for an hour, I think I missed some. I was amazed at the creativity,” she said. “A lot of them were done freehand, and that is even more amazing. I want to be friends with this family and join in their carving.
”I learned about this place from a friend who posted it on Facebook. It will be something we do every year. I think we will have to come back again on Sunday.”
”This is an awesome place. First you go through this room, and all you can say is ‘wow,’” said Lily Geber, Ms. Murphy’s daughter, of East Windsor. “The Lion King (pumpkin) was my favorite. I can’t wait to carve my own now.”
While noticing the changes in trends in agriculture, the Byrne family is joining many other farms in the area that have found a source of income through fall entertainment.
”You have to switch to entertainment,” said David Bryne Jr., co-owner. “That’s the way it is going.”
The weather apparently is one of the biggest factors against farmers. Last year, they had a drought for 60 days. This year, it was heavy rain, and the year before that, they had the coldest June on record.
As a result of the weather the past few years, farmers now need to resort to different ways of earning money and drawing in customers.
”It was the worst August I’ve seen in the 48 years that I have been alive. It’s the worst end of the season I have ever had,” said David Bryne Sr. “We had 25 inches of rain. It just destroyed the crops.”
His son added, “It’s hard to survive. People think you just sit back and live off the land.”
”We are doing this (the display),” said Mr. Bryne Sr. “Then on Saturdays and Sundays, (David Byrne Jr.) is out with the truck at the farmers market. We do four of them a week. We are just trying to keep things going.”
