A popular Alabama pumpkin patch is offering its visitors more than just pumpkins this fall. Tate Farms is giving guests the chance to ride a unique “dairy-go-round” created in Italy that’s more than three years in the making.

For the past 29 years, Tate Farms, a diversified row crop operation that got its start in Meridianville in the 1940s, has welcomed visitors each October to enjoy a day on the farm at their seasonal pumpkin patch. Guests can find their perfect pumpkin within its more than 80 acres of pumpkin fields as well as enjoy a slew of activities, food and more.

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“We have become a destination in the Madison County and the Tennessee Valley region,” said co-owner Stewart McGill. “An entire day can be spent here enjoying a day on the farm with our farm animals, corn cribs, jump beds, numerous slides and playground areas. Take a hayride and pick a pumpkin to take home and grab some food while you are here. Our signature item is our famous pumpkin slushies and homemade lemonade.”

This year though, guests will get to enjoy a new attraction as part of their admission that they won’t find at any other pumpkin patches — a one-of-a-kind “dairy-go-round” featuring farm animals in place of the usual horses you’d find on other carousels.

McGill said the process of having the “dairy-go-round” made began about three and a half years ago, when they first came up with the idea and reached out to Preston & Barbieri, an Italian amusement company that has been making everything from bumper cars to roller coasters carts, waterslide vessels and, of course, carousels since 1954.

From there, the carousel was designed and created in Italy, with each animal or character being molded by hand, which took about 18 months to complete, before being shipped to Alabama to be assembled last month. Guests can have their pick of going round-and-round while riding everything from a cow to a rooster, pig, goat and more. There are also seats, including a wheelbarrow and wicker basket, on the carousel.

“We really want to stay in our theme of what we are here and that is a family farm,” said co-owner Stewart McGill about what inspired the carousel’s creation. “The attractions we add we do our best to not lose that vision and try to stay unique to just Tate Farms.”

Tate Farms, located at 8414 Moores Mill Road in Meridianville, is open Wednesdays through Saturdays in October. Admission times and prices vary. For more information, visit the Tate Farms website.