Last minute preparations continue for the opening of the Papa's Pumpkin Patch on Sunday.

Thursday was the first haul of pumpkins to the farm off River Road at 5001 Fernwood Drive. The patch opens at noon Sunday and will be open every day noon to 7 p.m. until Oct. 18.

"It's really interesting this year," said Tracy Finneman, one of six family members who operate the patch. "Anyone with a garden knows, the growing season was slow."

Usually they start bringing pumpkins to the patch about two weeks prior to the opening. With the slow growing season this year, the pumpkins weren't ready at the grower in Tappen.

"Bryce will haul everything he has that's orange," Finneman said.

So, the first weekend the grounds will be less "bumper to bumper" in pumpkins, she said. Then, they'll get more pumpkins brought in next week and by next weekend there will be more pumpkins to choose from.

The grower in Tappen also will bring in watermelon and cantaloupe. The pumpkin patch will sell the produce along with decorative gourds and corn.

The corn comes from a farm south of Mandan. The grower will bring about 1,500 ears to the patch today and a group of volunteers will sit in lawn chairs while peeling back the husks.Other volunteers will tie it in bundles.

In addition to the pumpkins, there will be 12 activities for children of all ages. The bale maze is among the most popular, she said.

"I have watched parents look around and then go climb on it, too," Finneman said about the straw bale maze. "It's cool that adults can come and enjoy themselves, too."

This year, her brother used a Jenga game to help shape the central tower of the maze. The bales are similar in dimension to the wooden blocks that form the stacking game.

Admission to the pumpkin patch is $2 per person or $10 for a family. Some of the activities cost an additional $1 to $2 per person. For more information visit www.papaspumpkins.com.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)