Pumpkins and More!

Fall is such a wonderful time of year in Shady Pines Story Town. Everywhere you look there’s an explosion of color.  And I really like the cooler weather, don’t you?

I’m Scoop the Cub Reporter for The Shady Pines Gazette. Of course, the upcoming U.S. Presidential election is dominating the news. Even our own Boomer and Halley are gearing up for Election Day. We’ll get to that story a bit later.

In the meantime, I’m getting a lot of calls about folks heading to our local Pumpkin Patch.  After all, Halloween is right around the corner.

My assignment is to discover why so many neighbors of our close knit community  say rounding up pumpkins is one of their favorite things to do each year.

Fun For All!

I have noticed is that from toddlers to teens like myself, a pumpkin patch is fun for everyone. Even older folks get a kick out of this adventure. And why not?

First of all, you get some exercise and you’re outside. Make sure you dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Some of the working farms, like the one we’re visiting today are really big.

I’m running around this place myself looking for people to interview.

Lessons To Be Learned

One mom I just met told said, “If your kids don’t explore the outdoors very often, this is a great way for them to discover nature. Seeing how pumpkins grow out of the ground and are attached to vines is very educational. It helps them understand that pumpkins don’t just show up at the grocery store automatically.”

I can already see for myself that this is one place where children can discover things for themselves. That’s really important. I know I like to find those unexpected, special, moments.

For instance, take a look at this photo I snapped. Do you see the colors of that butterfly next to the pumpkin? Being out on the farm lets you be amazed at Mother Nature. I think this kind of stuff is really cool!

I talked to a dad who told me, “From the second we arrived, my children ran off with smiles, but then, they realized how much work it was to be in a field of pumpkins. Even running took work since the vines were everywhere, waiting to trip little, toddler-sized running feet.”

Appreciate Hard Work

There aren’t as many people working the farms these days. A lot of  kids don’t realize it takes hard work to be a farmer. One young girl I met was getting a little taste of that. Just trying to push a wheelbarrow with a big ‘ole pumpkin was something she hadn’t done before.

You know what she told me? She said she didn’t know pumpkins grew from tiny seeds. She also didn’t realize that they come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. “It’s kinda like people, isn’t it?” she asked.

Discover The Unexpected

I have to admit, I’d never thought of that before.  It seems there are a lot of things to find in the pumpkin patch. One couple I met said they love coming out here each October. But this year it was especially important to them. “We know so many farms and other small businesses are struggling right now because of the severe weather events we’ve been having. It was important to us to come out and support them.”

That’s reason enought for me to go home with some pumpkins of my own. I don’t know about you, but our family usually has a pumpkin carving contest. Last year my sister won. It’s time for me to take the title back! The other reason I need to pick up some pumpkins is to inspire my mom.

Around Halloween she likes to scare up some pumpkin dishes for us. I’m talking about everything from pumpkin bread and pies to pumpkin pancakes. Here are some recipes for you to try: PUMPKIN RECIPES

Something More

There’s one more thing I want to mention.

These pumpkin patch visits make for some great family photos. Everywhere I look I’m seeing parents taking all sorts of shots. Memories are important. So is showing kindness for one another and that we care for our land.

Oh, look at the time. I’ve got to get back to the Gazette office. My editor, Zulah Talmadge, is probably wondering why I’ve been gone so long. Now I understand why a visit to the pumpkin patch can be about more than just picking out pumpkins. Hope you’ve enjoyed it!

– Scoop out.

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