THORNTOWN, Ind. — Thorntown is in Boone County and only about 1,500 people call it home. The total area is half a square mile!
There is one family with quite a bit of land, working year round to brighten your fall and holidays.
In 1993, Lucas Dull’s parents opened Dull’s Tree Farm. They planted 200 Christmas trees eight years earlier on their farm, and they were finally ready.
“I did grow up on the property, but it did not look anything like this!”
It was Lucas who inspired quite a bit of change to the landscape.
He went to Purdue University to study mechanical engineering but then he heard about agritourism.
“It really piqued my interest, and I thought, there are a lot of things we could be doing here on this farm that we’re not.”
So he switched to agriculture engineering and eventually returned home to the family farm.
“A lot of people know it as the Christmas tree farm and have the Christmas tradition of coming out and getting their tree,” said Lucas. “That’s starting to develop for the fall side as well.”
Dull’s Pumpkin Harvest has over 30 activities.
This is the fifth year for the five-acre corn maze, and each year Lucas looks for something that connects with people.
Last year it benefited first responders after Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett was killed in the line of duty.
This year it honors Tyler Trent, the 20-year-old Boilermaker who passed away New Year’s Day from cancer.
“We have pretty strong Purdue ties and we followed his story pretty closely, but also my wife’s sister went through her own bout with pediatric cancer,” said Lucas. “She’s in remission now and has been for about eight years.”
Lucas reached out to Tyler’s family about the corn maze and donating proceeds to his foundation.
“They’ve loved what we’re doing and they were able to come out opening weekend for awhile.”
Kelly Trent said on opening weekend, “We were without a doubt, no questions asked, going to be here no matter what.”
So what will come next for Dull’s? Lucas is dabbling with other events, like an adult Easter egg hunt.
And he knows chances are good the next generation might add to the Dull’s landscape, too.
“My five-year-old daughter has said she wants to be a flower farmer!”
The Pumpkin Harvest is every weekend through October 27. Click here for schedule details.
The Christmas tree season starts November 29th.