Pumpkin Patches

One of my favorite things about fall is our annual family tradition: pumpkin patch visits! This all started in CA when I went searching for a pumpkin patch, not so much for a pumpkin but for some sign of the fall season. Let's face it; southern California isn't known for its beautiful autumn leaves. Fortunately, I found a pumpkin patch up in the foothills where I not only found a pumpkin but also some dead leaves. When a girl needs a dose of fall color to cure homesickness, brown is a great substitute for red and yellow!

That trip evolved into a tradition. When Neal came home the next autumn, he went with me and found the "perfect" pumpkin. It happened to weigh 105lbs. Seriously. The following year, we took C&G for their first trip. I had the best time selecting the perfect pumpkin for them. Oh the memories.

Now, we scout pumpkin patches not for the pumpkins, but for the activities! We have been to two local patches this year. Our first visit was to a pumpkin plantation. I should've known that plantation meant huge area with high prices. $44 later (and that was for admission only), we were off to explore. I must say, I think we got our money's worth. We rode the pumpkin mountain slide (drainage pipes and burlap sacks make for a great ride!), had a ride on the barrel train, zip lined, bonded with the farm animals, stopped for lunch, jumped on the bouncy cushion, rode tractor go karts and rode the hayride to the pumpkin patch. Yeah, I'd say we got our money's worth. Thanks Molly and Quinn for exploring with us!

(Psst...There are more pumpkin patch pics in the shutterfly link at the top right.)

After Dad came home, we went back to pick out our family pumpkins. We stayed a little closer to home, but still managed to find a patch with activities. The kids were fascinated with the hay mountain. As you can see, Dad had a good time hiding underneath it and scaring us as we jumped.

We also bowled with pumpkins. What a great idea!

Here's the haul: two pumpkins, indian corn and some "silly" gourds.