Of pumpkins and Heffernans

Living in the Chicago area as well as North Carolina, Wisconsin and Colorado, the 11 Heffernan brothers and sisters have pursued different careers including restaurateur, commodities trader, nurse, wine expert and construction manager.

But Betty Heffernan -- the matriarch of this large family -- passed on her love of the family's land to her children, The homestead is nestled along Townline Road in Lake Villa.

It is a love passed down by her father.

While the farm made for lonely trick or treating, daughter Elizabeth Heffernan said returning brings her peace.

"While I live in a subdivision now, there is definitely a calmness that comes when you come back here," said Elizabeth, who now lives in Boston.

During a family trip in 2004, one of Betty and husband Dan's grandsons asked what will happen to the farm in the future. No one could say.

On the flight home, family members got the idea came to start a pumpkin farm.

"We did this quick math. Pumpkins. October. Short time frame," Elizabeth said. "Little did we know how much prep work and set up it would take."

A plan was devised in April 2004. By June, the first pumpkins were planted.

Now, many of the Heffernans, including 19 grandchildren, open the farm every weekend through October for fun family time that keeps the farm in their family.

"One of our primary goals is to create an income source that would mean we can keep it open space," the family's youngest daughter Laura, who lives in Chicago.

Six siblings who live out of state and the rest who live within the Chicago area, make the festival work. They come to the farm each weekend to greet families, operate the snack shack and run the hayride.

Dan said no one documents how much each family member does.

"With 11 kids, you don't worry about who didn't show one time," he said.

The work force includes grandchildren who make the corn maze, assist with mailings and harvest pumpkins, Betty adds.

"Now it's the next generation that is getting involved," she said.

Betty Heffernan's parents, Jay and May O'Bryan, first purchased 300 acres in 1935. The farm was named after Jay's mother, Susan and May's mother, Anna.

"I always thought at first that it was from 'O Susanna' because my father is from Kentucky," she said.

The family lived on the farm all summer. Jay raised shorthorn cattle and Belgian horses. Betty cut thistles or mustard and as she got older, drove horses and cut hay.

After Jay died, Betty said her mother gave part of the land to be used as a convent. Each of the girls got 55 acres.

Today, Betty, Dan and their children recall many fond memories of the land they have lived since the 1970s.

Son Brian recalls flying through the air to land in hay bales. There were no broken bones but broken bales.

"And then we became the hired hands and we hated it," Brian said.

Son John, who lives in Lake Villa, most recalls the aroma of freshly plowed ground. Field work is a double-edge sword.

"To this day, the smell in the spring of plowed earth is a memory that you will never forget," he said.

Today, the family rents some of the land for soybeans and corn. The family handles the pumpkins, still cuts hay and takes care of chickens, pigs and horses for the fall festival.

Dealing with aging equipment, including a 1976 diesel tractor, is part of planning for the festival. But John is considered the family MacGyver.

"I happen to be a little mechanically inclined," he said. "Whenever there is a problem, I MacGyver a solution. It works at least for that week."

Elizabeth added, "There is a lot of duct tape involved."

Among the amenities the family offers are a children's maze and adult corn maze that has grown from 2.5 acres to 5 acres. John first designed the maze, but taking the job is grandson Adam, a freshman at University of Illinois Chicago architecture program.

There also is a 15-minute hay ride and chances to see farm equipment and animals. Children enjoy totem pole painting, a brainstorm by Brian and John using logs from demolition sites.

The family prefers to offer homemade items like the totem pole paintings rather than something mass produced.

"Staying with the charm and beauty is connecting people to a simpler time when things were a little more connected to the earth and a little bit more about what you're creating and your relationship with your natural surrounding," Laura said.

Brian uses his restaurateur skills to provide food at the snack shack such as hot chocolate, cider and apple blossoms.

"For as simple as everything else is, the food is pretty darn good," Laura said.

Although the festival is a lot of work, Brian said you can't take away the joy when families smile as they sit around the fire or jump off the hayride. That makes it all worthwhile.

"We get a joy out of seeing somebody else's family creating those memories and enjoying something as much as we did," Laura said. "The historic value of our memories comes through and we hope are being embedded in other people's minds as they go through."

Susanna Farm

• Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

• Located at 24153 Town Line Road, west of Route 83 and north of Grand Avenue in Lake Villa

• Activities include a hayride, kiddie corn maze and 5-acre corn maze, pumpkins, totem pole painting, crafts, corn stalks and snack shack

• Call (847) 838-0798 for information