The Pumpkin Patch



My favorite pumpkin patch.

Everyone has a favorite pumpkin patch. The one to the right is my preferred acre of choice. It's owned by a local, third generation, crop farmer and his family.

I used to buy the best hay you'll ever find here, but I no longer have my own farm so I'm not currently in the market for forage. Part of the charm of picking up hay was the chit-chat with farmer Dave about crops, our John Deere tractors, and the weather.

The next best thing to all that "farmerly" charm is now visiting  Dave's pumpkin patch, where I purchase the round beauties from him for pies, decoration, and for an occasional treat for the deer out back.

Pumpkins are really cool because of all the different colors, shapes, textures, and versatility as a food item. Warts, uncommon colors, and bizarre shaped pumpkins are my favorite. I can find them all in this wonderful, homey, someplace-where-you-can-go-back pumpkin patch.

We Grow Great Pumpkins

It's that time of year in upstate New York...autumn. I love the warm days, cool nights, beautiful colors found in our leaves and mums, and the wonderful fresh produce found at our local farm stands during this season.

Pumpkins are harvested this time of year and are used for many things: pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkin seeds, and decorations for Halloween..all things associated with happy childhood memories.

Bright orange pumpkins tossed into wooden bins, by the farmer who grew them, remind me of the hard work it takes to grow them in the first place. I remember planting pumpkin seeds, checking on them every day to see if anything had sprouted. It was so exciting when the first pumpkin finally matured.

I also remember sitting on my grandfather's lap while he drove his tractor, turning the soil with horse pucky tilled into the mix. My grandfather always said, "It's the horse pucky that grows great pumpkins." Think about that the next time you have a piece of pumpkin pie.