Field Of Terror Offers Scariest Halloween Attractions In East Windsor

EAST WINDSOR, NJ — Every year as Fall begins, the Kyle Family Farm in East Windsor transforms into a spooky Halloween attraction.

Field of Terror at the Kyle Family Farm is one of the premiere Halloween attractions not just in Mercer County, but in New Jersey as well.

The family bought the farm 20 years ago and decided to preserve it. As a way to bring people to the farm, the Kyle family began adding fall and Halloween attractions over the years.

“We started off with just pumpkin picking and like a daytime hayride. Then we did a one-night event for the scary stuff in the evening. From there we began to expand,” said Sharon Kyle, the owner.

A hayride was added in 2006 followed by a haunted house in 2008. Another haunted house was added in 2011, and in 2015 they included a paintball attraction.

The Field of Terror is a unique spooky experience in Mercer County with five different attractions. A path goes through the cornfield and there are actors dressed in their goriest best, playing out scenes. The field takes about 25 to 30 minutes to walk through, Kyle said.

And then there’s the creepy carnival. If you’re scared of clowns you need to stay away from this one.

“We have the carnival, which is clown-themed. A lot of people are scared of clowns right off the bat and some turn around,” said Kyle.

The haunted houses are a little more intense, as they include concentrated scares, Kyle said. Timmery Manor is one of the biggest attractions at the farm. An old-fashioned colonial-style mansion is converted into a haunted house. Inside are actors, dressed to scare.

“They will touch you. We tell people that they may pull you away from your group or put their hands on your head, things like that. Some people are freaked out by getting touched. But then there are others who love that and look for a little more of an intense experience,” said Kyle.

However, not everything is meant to spook people. There are “family-friendly scares” as well.

“We have a lot of families coming to the farm, and for something a little less scary the hayride is recommended,” Kyle said. “It is inherently less scary because you're all together on a wagon.”

The pavilion area is perfect for families complete with music and food vendors.

Planning the attractions for the spooky season begins in November, Kyle said. “We always have a post-season wrap-up meeting and start talking about things that went well and share ideas on where to improve for next season,” Kyle said.

The family attends a haunt convention — The TransWorld Halloween & Attraction Show — in March held in St. Louis.

“We go there for ideas and take classes on makeup and costumes,” Kyle said. The family then purchases stuff for the upcoming season.

The entire Kyle family is involved in farming and the “Field of Terror.” Kyle’s daughter Amanda runs the merchandise shop and Kathleen runs the farm bakery also with a farmers market. Her son Patrick “does a variety of stuff around the farm” including getting the tractors ready and making sure everything is up and running, said Kyle.

The “Field of Terror” is also a great way for the family to supplement their income through farming.

"Farming is hard. This season was probably one of the hardest for farmers due to the heat wave. And with inflation the cost of everything shot up,” Kyle said.

“We appreciate everyone's support. They recognize that we are just a small family farm that's trying to make a living by providing fun for the neighbors and kids in the area.”

"Field of Terror" is open every weekend through October. For tickets and location, click here.

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