For Milky Way Farm in Chester Springs, which just kicked off its pumpkin harvest season, returning families are a bright spot. Jaclyn Lee fielded the story for 6ABC.

The farm’s revenue has suffered due to COVID-19 and, in a seemingly unrelated trend, the shortage of school bus drivers. Atop social distancing precautions, the farm lost 90 percent of its school visits from a lack of transportation.

“Financially, that’s had a huge impact to our business, so we’ve tried to find other ways to be creative to reduce costs as well,” said Jane Ferris, manager of the Fall Harvest Crew at Milky Way Farm.

Also, the current hurricane season ruined plenty of crops. And supply chain shortages abroad continue to negatively affect the farm’s creamery.

Despite these challenges, however, the farm is happily welcoming returning families.

The Vendetta-Spahr clan is among the visitors being given a Milky Way embrace. All nine siblings recently reunited onsite after the pandemic kept them apart.

“The fact that we even get to be together now, they’re able to come and travel out here, is literally a blessing,” said Olivia Vendetti-Spahr of Chester Springs.

Read more about Milky Way Farm at 6ABC.