'Everyone laughed' when he started a pumpkin farm—now it brings in $2 million a year

Three decades ago, when Kelly Schultz announced his intention to start a pumpkin farm, "everybody laughed at me," he says. Schultz, a second-generation antique seller, had no prior experience with farming when he bought a small farm in Clarence, New York, in 1993. Schultz, 74, is the owner and operator of The Great Pumpkin Farm , a seasonal attraction about 15 miles northeast of Buffalo that draws over 100,000 visitors each fall. The Great Pumpkin Farm brought in $2 million in annual revenue in 2025, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It — and it's open just seven weeks a year. This year, the farm is open to visitors between Sept. 19 and Oct. 31, and they're not just coming to buy pumpkins.