Depending on your child’s age, during the month of October you may be packing up the kids and going to one of the busiest places in October… the Pumpkin Patch.
In the South, the Pumpkin Patch is one of those events for which children are dressed in their cute fall or Halloween outfits, and many pictures are taken. Or perhaps that is just me!
For the big day, family members all don their fall attire and spend a beautiful day outdoors in the searing fall heat. You may get lucky and experience a day like we did… when a cold front came in and temps dropped to a chilly 77 degrees that morning!
When you arrive, the hordes of human beings arriving and rushing up to the entrance line may seem daunting. But once you enter, the fun really begins. The hayride/ride to the “patch” is the first step for many. In my experience, this part was more fun once our child was no longer a toddler. I no longer feared she would attempt to jump from the trailer at any moment and run off into the hills/forest/fields. Next, you carefully choose a favored pumpkin, or perhaps one that each of your kiddos can carry. The return hayride commences. Once back, your family enjoys a fall festival of games, foods, music, petting zoos, slides, corn or hay mazes, corn bins, tire climbs, swings, spots for that perfect family photo, and much more. We actually went to a new one this year and food trucks were in abundance, including one that served “fried Oreos” and funnel cakes.
This year we left after only three and a half hours of excitement. My 5-year-old with her matted hair and grass-stained dirty pants… .and a huge smile. The adult children and parents, although somewhat malodorous by this point, were also smiling after having enjoyed the day. (And also seeking shade, caffeine, and air conditioning.)
On a serious note, the Pumpkin Patch is an experience not to be missed here in the south. We enjoy the outdoors here and love celebrating fall. And it only goes on one month a year!