Zittel Farms opened its gates Saturday, Oct. 3, for a 50th anniversary season dating to 1976, when Roger and Gail Zittel bought the Oak Avenue property and promised to keep it a farm.
The milestone puts the farm, at 6781 Oak Ave., at the center of a city that has changed dramatically around it. Folsom itself is celebrating its 80th year as an incorporated city in 2026. The Zittels have been on the property for 50 of those 80 years, as first reported by the Folsom Times. The farm bills itself as Folsom's last working agricultural farm.
Roger Zittel was born in Eden, New York, in 1941 and came from a family that had farmed vegetables for generations. After attending Rutgers University and training at a Lutheran seminary, his first pastoral call brought him to Folsom, where he served at Mount Olive Lutheran Church. He became the first manager of the Folsom Chamber of Commerce in 1974 and held the position for 21 years.
Two years into that role, Roger and Gail purchased the farm from the Harris family. Roger prevailed over higher bids from developers after promising to rehabilitate the property and continue working it. The annual pumpkin tradition took shape around 1980 and grew into a fall fixture.
The promise held.
In an earlier interview with the Folsom Times, Roger recalled a much smaller town. "There were 4,000 people in Folsom at the time we came … simpler times. Everyone knew each other, which was nice," he said.
Gail Zittel served seven years on the Folsom Planning Commission and helped shape the city's General Plan during a period of rapid growth. The family's civic footprint extends beyond the farm: Zittel Drive carries the family name, and the outdoor amphitheater in Historic Folsom was named the Zittel Family Amphitheater.
Folsom resident Monica Collins said the farm has been part of her family's October routine across two generations. "Our parents brought us here when we were young, so when we had children there was never really a question about whether we would bring them," Collins told the Folsom Times. "It's just part of fall for our family."
Arjun Patel, another Folsom resident, said the farm has kept its family feel even as the city grew around it. Adults enjoy it as much as children, Patel said, because of the memories attached to the place.
Roger and Gail collected Amish antiques, including a Cinderella wagon and a sheepherder's wagon, that have become familiar backdrops for family photographs over the years. The farm also offers fall educational tours for school groups, where children meet animals, take a hayride and choose a pumpkin.
Younger generations of the Zittel family have increasingly taken on the work of keeping the operation going, according to the Folsom Times. After Thanksgiving, pumpkins give way to Christmas trees.
Upcoming October events at Zittel Farms:
- Saturday, Oct. 10: Costume contest, beginning at 4 p.m. (family-friendly, no scary costumes)
- Saturday, Oct. 17: Pink Day, all day, honoring cancer survivors, with pink pumpkins for sale
- Saturday, Oct. 24: Pumpkin painting contest, entries due by 4 p.m., judging at 5 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 31: Pumpkin carving contest, entries due by 4 p.m., judging at 5 p.m.
The farm is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
