Before the ghouls, ghosts, costumes and candy-filled pillowcases, people of all ages scour their favorite pumpkin patch in search of that great pumpkin they can take home in preparation for Halloween. Some spend hours designing fancy faces, others paint pretty pictures and many more do it the good old-fashioned way — using a kitchen knife and their hands to get at their jack-o'-lantern. No matter your fashion, there's more to picking pumpkins than one might think.
Plenty of local farmers and other destinations in the area appeal to pumpkin picking and crafting, offering more than just the funny-shaped squash.
Gordon Tripp, owner of Owen Orchards, likes to appeal to families and especially schoolchildren, he said. Every year, Tripp holds educational tours of his pumpkin patches, explaining how they grow. Each student walks away with a pumpkin of their own to commemorate the experience.
On weekends, he loads the wagon full of visitors and they ride along to the pumpkin patch to pick their own pumpkin of choice. Warm apple cider and homemade apple cider doughnuts are popular favorites that complement the day's events, he said.
“It's a great chance for families to enjoy the fall weather and the beautiful colors of this season,” Tripp said. “And a day out on the farm is always fun.”
Snake Oil Glassworks is preparing for its annual Pumpkin Fest, which features pumpkins of a different kind. While farms relish in their genuine orange jack-o'-lanterns, Snake Oil Glassworks molds its creations in the shape and style of pumpkins using glass — with the option of different colors and sizes made to order, if desired. Owners Peg and Phil Austin started the annual event because of local interest in the area.
“We welcome people into our studio and we show them how we blow glass to make our pumpkins,” Peg said. “We offer our usual 'pick your own pumpkin' opportunity and for a special price, you may select the colors and size of your own custom-designed pumpkin and then see it created by our skilled gaffer and assistants.”
“I like to tell people that our prices are inexpensive because it's all about the experience,” Leubner said. ”My husband and I both grew up on farms and we want people to experience farm life and to have the chance to see it for themselves.”
Tim's offers a variety of events, including pumpkin picking, a hay maze, seeing the farm animals and wagon rides on weekends. There's something for everyone, Leubner said. Pumpkin funnel cakes and other baked goods, as well as the items in Tim's gift shop, are some of the special treats available.
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