Saturday October 20th; a perfect autumn day for the pumpkin patch. Rick requested this Saturday off months ago so that we could have this family outing. Some years he’s had to leave work early or go back to work straight from the farm. We felt more relaxed this year because it was truly a day off and we could take our time.
There was much discussion over the pumpkins with so many to choose from. Luckily we each get to choose our own. A couple of these will become Jack-o-lanterns… most of them become pies, muffins and soup; no waste decorations!
There is a little corn maze… just right for young children. Nathan immediately noticed a wooly bear in the corn.
Nathan loved this furry and tickly fuzzy caterpillar. As soon as we put him down Nathan found another!!!
As we wandered through the corn maze I thought this scene makes a wonderful picture.
Another pumpkin patch was located on the other side of the corn maze… sooooo many pumpkins. I was glad they did so well this year even with lack of rain. Ironically I was most successful growing pumpkins in my own home garden this year, in spite of lack of rain! A couple of years ago there was a pumpkin shortage and there was no pumpkin to be had here. There was not a single can of it in the stores. Since we love pumpkin so much I have been careful ever since to make sure we have a small stockpile of it in the house just in case it happens again.
Kaitlyn is still searching for her perfect pumpkin… she wants a small one. They are so cute! There is a hay bale maze through a shed that the kids have a blast climbing through. And on the right… sisters! One crazy girl needs to put on her sweatshirt.
My boys peek out at me and tell me about the big spiders they’ve discovered up under the roof… I don’t need to see to believe!
Cute girls! And every year for years we stick the children by this sign to “measure up”.
They grow so quickly. Haley realized that she only has 2 more family trips to the pumpkin patch after this! She was such a little girl when we discovered this farm.
Rick and Kaitlyn pose, Rick driving the pumpkin car. He should have let Kaitlyn have a turn to “drive”.
More great harvest scenes around the farm… and inside the stand as we choose some other farm fresh produce to purchase like potatoes, cabbage, onion and a variety of apples that are normally not available around here for a taste testing back at home. Compared to the variety of apples I once got used to in Upstate New York, Ohio offers very few types. I try to give my children opportunities to taste some old favorites whenever I can. One apple I can NEVER find around here is a Northern Spy. I have my suspicions as to why but telling my Dad this one time made him crack up!
Lovely!
We also chose some gourds to dress up our table and display in the living room. Nathan likes to “match” them by color, texture and size. We enjoy having these around the house through the autumn.
The younger children spend a few minutes playing in the miniature houses and Nathan looks pretty tough driving that truck!
Haley buys Kaitlyn a HUGE lollipop which Kaitlyn loves as you can plainly see.
We get ready to leave by saying goodbye to the farm animals and paying for our pumpkins… plenty there for roasting.
Super girl decided I could take her picture if I let her take mine. Deal! And super girl used her strength to carry those pumpkins from the car to the porch.
Just a few of our purchases out on the tables. Going to the pumpkin patch each year has become a wonderful family tradition. We treasure being out in nature, experiencing the change of seasons with all of our senses and just being together. Happy Autumn!
