Little People Big World star Matt Roloff rang in his 56th birthday with a surprise celebration on the family’s 110-acre pumpkin farm on Saturday — but ex-wife Amy was not invited to the festivities.
TLC cameras were not rolling, but DailyMail.com was there to see the awkward family event where the family matriarch was snubbed, while the rest of the Roloffs celebrated with Matt’s new girlfriend.
Farm manager Caryn Chandler, 49, gathered sons Jeremy and Zach, Zach’s wife Tori Roloff along with their five-month old son Jackson (the first Roloff grandson who also has dwarfism) to surprise Matt with a cake and party hats as he arrived at the farm.
Little People, Big World’s Matt Roloff’s new girlfriend Caryn Chandler surprised the 56-year-old with a birthday celebration on the family’s pumpkin farm on Saturday
Zach Roloff, 27, and his wife Tori Roloff showed up with a cake and birthday hats along with their five-month old son Jackson to surprise their family’s patriarch
Farm manager Caryn Chandler, 49, gathered Zach and Tori Roloff along with their five-month old son Jackson – the first Roloff grandson who also has dwarfism
An eyewitness tells the DailyMail.com, ‘Caryn even made sure some of the farm hands were there as well, and gave out party hats to some of the crowd who had gathered behind the main gift shop.
‘The odd thing was that Amy Roloff was on the other side of the barn doing meet and greets with the general public and wasn’t asked by Caryn to participate. It definitely felt like she was being usurped at her own farm by Matt’s new girlfriend.
‘I never once saw Amy speak to Caryn, there’s a real tension there. The kids seem caught in the middle. This was baby Jackson’s first day at the farm during pumpkin season, it was kind of a big deal and Amy was shut out.’
Located just 15 minutes west of Portland, Oregon, Roloff Farms is open to the public for four weeks in the fall for their famous pumpkin season.
When LPBW first aired in 2006, ‘little people’ Matt and Amy, 53, were busy raising their four children, twin boys Jeremy and Zach, 27 (who also has dwarfism), daughter Molly, 24, and son Jacob, 20.
The reality show chronicled the growth of the pumpkin farm, and the end of Matt and Amy’s marriage after nearly three decades together.
Meanwhile, Matt’s ex-wife Amy was left out of the celebration and was seen doing meet and greets with the general public and wasn’t asked by Caryn to participate
Chandler (pictured left) has been the family’s farm manager for years, but began dating Matt after he divorced Amy (right)
Little People Big World will begin its 13th season in early 2018, but this DailyMail.com ‘sneak peek’ into the lives of the Roloff family reveals that even without cameras rolling there is a shift in power and plenty of tension between the exes.
The divorced couple are still business partners in the farm and live there just yards away from each other. Amy lives in the big 2,700 square foot house and Matt in what he calls ‘the double wide’ trailer
The divorce was finalized last year, but things are complicated by the fact Amy and Matt are still business partners in the farm and both live there just yards from each other.
Amy lives in the big 2,700 square foot house and Matt in what he calls ‘the double wide’ trailer.
While Amy has also moved on with Portland realtor Chris Marek, 54, he was not present at the farm for the weekend festivities.
Caryn Chandler has been an employee of the farm for years, so it was a bit of a shock to Amy and to viewers of the show, when she began dating her boss.
‘It was obvious that Matt and Caryn run the show during pumpkin season, while Amy has been relegated to “greeter” on the farm she spent decades helping to create,’ the source said.
Pumpkin festival guests who shell out $300, can get a personal tour of the farm from Matt himself and get a photo, all arranged by Caryn and her team.
When LPBW first aired in 2006, ‘little people’ Matt and Amy, 53, were busy raising their four children, twin boys Jeremy and Zach, 27 (who also has dwarfism), daughter Molly (top left) 24, and son Jacob (not pictured) 20
‘But if you’re just the average person who came out to buy a pumpkin, it’s likely it will be Amy who will greet you and pose,’ says our insider.
‘She wanders around by herself, checks in with vendors to see how things are going, but the business is clearly being run by Matt and his girlfriend Caryn.’
Little People Big World will begin its 13th season in early 2018, but this DailyMail.com ‘sneak peek’ into the lives of the Roloff family reveals that even without cameras rolling there is a shift in power and plenty of tension between the exes.
‘Matt may only be four feet tall, but he is a dynamo, and has a presence and charisma. Couple that with energetic Caryn and her obvious organizational skills and Amy has her work cut out for herself,’ the source said.