Underwood Family Farms is an active working farm in Moorpark that has been in operation for more than 25 years, Underwood invites the public to come celebrate the autumn harvest by picking pumpkins, taking a wagon ride, listening to live bands, and partaking in activities for children and parents alike.

The Newbury Park Rotary will bring its second annual Oktoberfest celebration at the farm from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Sat. and Sun., Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 with authentic German food, beer, games, festivities, entertainment and a 50vendor craft fair.

Farmer Russell begins his first of many educational pumpkin and vegetable tours on Mon., Oct. 2. Children can pull a pumpkin off the vine themselves and learn how and where they are grown. Last year, more than 35,000 children attended this program.

The week ends with a bang with the third annual Cowboy Weekend on Sat. and Sun., Oct. 7 and 8 with Wild West entertainment such as stunt ropers, gun fighters, cowboy poets, medicine

men, fiddlers and more. Back by popular demand is Sourdough Slim whopping it up on the Main Stage both days.

Every weekend following, beginning at 11 a.m., live bands such as Acadiana, Last Call, Cops & Robbers, The Catterwailers and Riders of the Purple Sage will perform until 3 p.m. Local performers will take over on the Harvest Stage until 5 p.m.

Underwood Family Farms is open to the public for a $7.50 entrance fee on the weekends and $3 on the weekdays.

Attractions include a farm stand with fresh produce grown on site, a country store, pick-yourown fruits and vegetables and 300 tons of pumpkins of all sizes, colors and varieties that are grown especially for the festival.

Visitors can ride around the farm in wagons pulled by three teams of draft horses. The maze of corn stalks may challenge young adventurers. Other activities include country games, face painters, a train, temporary tattoos, a scarecrow booth, giant pyramids of hay bales for children to climb and antique tractors and farm equipment.

Underwood Family Farms' ever-changing Animal Center houses numerous ponies, cows and rabbits. The farm features a specially designed goat ramp, a structure built above visitors' heads on which a herd of pygmy goats scamper. The Animal Show is hosted during weekends at the hand-painted outdoor theatre.

The Fall Festival is a fundraising opportunity for organizations such as the Boy Scouts and 4-H groups to volunteer in exchange for a donation to their group from the farm. The Camarillo Lions Club also barbeques hamburgers and hot dogs, and roasts fresh sweet corn to benefit charitable work.

The farm is at 3370 Sunset Valley Road and is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. after Oct. 30) for pumpkins and pick-your-own.

For more information, call (805) 529-3690 or e-mail info@underwoodfamilyfarms.com.