Jane and Zach Blough Make JZ Farms

In case the weather has you second-guessing, fall is in full swing at JZ Farms in Federalsburg. Much more than your average pumpkin patch, JZ Farms offers a wide range of seasonal activities, including a corn maze, paintball range, and a miniature play town complete with a jail, barn, seafood shack, ice cream parlor, mechanic shop, and more. Concessions are also available, offering treats from apple cider donuts to pulled pork sandwiches. And don’t worry, there are still plenty of pumpkins!

JZ Farms also has activities in the spring in addition to its regular farm operations. In 2024, around 15,000 people visited the farm, marking steady growth since it opened its first fall festival in 2021. In a recent Facebook post, owners Jane and Zach Blough wrote, “What started as a little dream has grown into a place full of laughter, family memories, and so much community support—and we couldn’t be more grateful. Each year, we work hard to make improvements and changes so the farm keeps getting better, and we’re so thankful you’ve been along for the ride.”

The Bloughs purchased the farm in 2018. Jane was working full-time as a nurse while Zach had been running his own landscaping company. Zach had decided it was time for a career change, which is what led to them buying the Federalsburg property. They eventually decided to pursue a farm amusement park of sorts after the birth of their oldest child, Paisley. Raising Paisley opened their eyes to a gap in seasonal entertainment for young children and families. “We started going around to other places and other states,” Jane said, “We realized there wasn’t really anything like that here in Caroline County, and we wanted to bring it here.” Since then, the Bloughs have built the farm into one of the county’s most popular destinations.

For the Bloughs, running JZ Farms is very much a partnership. Zach oversees farm labor and maintenance, from growing pumpkins and strawberries to managing the chicken houses. Jane takes care of all staffing, marketing, field trips, birthday parties, and general operations. “With him and I both working together, it seems to work well,” Jane said. The couple’s children are also involved. “They enjoy actually working down there,” she added. “They like seeing people and talking to people, and they enjoy having all this stuff going on.”

But managing a growing business, notably with a spouse, has its challenges. “We literally breathe [the farm], like that’s all we talk about…because we really want it to be successful.” The work is demanding, especially during peak season, “Starting in the summertime through when we close in mid-November, that is all we eat, breathe, live…and sometimes that can be challenging, especially with a young family,” she said.

Still, they reap the reward of putting smiles on faces. “The most exciting thing is probably seeing everyone out there enjoying it,” Jane said. “It gets chaotic, but having families come out saying how much they’ve enjoyed it, how they can enjoy time with their family and their friends out there and make memories—that’s what makes it worth it.” School field trips have also become a major highlight (for both the Bloughs and the students). “Our first year, we only had about probably 100 kids,” Jane recalled. “This year we’ll have 3,000 students. So that’s a cool thing to be able to provide for the community as well.”

In the beginning, it was just the two of them keeping things going. “This is our first year that we’ve ever had a full-time farm help. Previous to that, it was always him and I. Him and I would be picking the pumpkins, cutting the grass, everything—it was him and I,” she explained. But what started as a two-person operation has now grown to include 30 seasonal staff members, and the Bloughs plan to continue expanding. “We want to keep on continuing to add and make it better and better and continue to grow,” Jane said. “We want to keep it ever-changing and make sure we are always adding something new.” Future plans include building on their spring season and expanding their u-pick strawberries. 

While far from the only farm or jointly owned business in Caroline County, JZ Farms has quickly grown into a household name. So if you’re in need of a little (pumpkin) spice in your life, JZ is the place to be!