Orr Family Farm Sets Grand Reopening after Devastating May Tornado

It is a fall favorite for carousel rides, a pumpkin patch and corn maze. The Orr Family Farm is special to a lot of families, but it was heavily damaged in the May 20 tornado. Now, a grand reopening is set later this month.

Crews were out working Friday, just as they have been the past few months since the May 20 tornado, trying to get the Orr Family Farm reopened for fall, its biggest season of the year.

The Southwest Oklahoma City farm was in the direct path of the monster tornado in May. Fortunately, everyone in the Orr family, their employees, even their animals survived. But the storm destroyed buildings, mangled its carousel, and debris covered the property.

"[It was] total destruction. It's amazing that you can go into a building and ten minutes later walk out and it look totally different," Orr Family Farm Event Coordinator, Shanain Kemp said.

They've spent nearly $2 million rebuilding since May to reopen.

"We consider ourselves a family, so it's been very emotional, but we've all come together stronger than ever," Kemp said.

This fall, the train and the pumpkin patch will be back, as well as the zip line, giant jumping pillows, and carousel. They're adding a new theme called "The Farm Fun Yard" with more children's activities. They started growing the corn maze in July. This year, it'll be shaped like a tornado.

"We're actually doing a tornado theme, so it'll have interesting facts about what causes tornadoes and different weather facts," Kemp said.

The storm destroyed all their holiday displays, so the farm won't be open at Christmas this year. But the Orr family knows how much the farm means to the community, and they're ready for more family memories to be made there this fall.

"It's going to be just as good as it was before, if not better. I honestly feel like the morale and being an overcomer basically has really come out between our staff and the community," Kemp said.

The grand reopening is set for 10 a.m. on September 28. For more information, go to www.orrfamilyfarm.com