Tuesday, September 29, 2020

One Two Three GO!!!

After opening weekend at the Hunter Farms Pumpkin Patch, we all caught a break.  Mondays and Tuesdays are pumpkin and chrysanthemum sales only.  The snack bar is quiet as a mouse.  There's no hot dogs in the tent on the right (out of sight), nor snow cones in the tent on the left.  This will happen three out of four weeks due to slower attendance because of the Covid stuff.

That means there will only be two people on board.  Me ... I'm helping Farmer Scott install barriers and make signs ... and whoever is working the sales office.  I'm so excited I actually get to sit down!!

I even had time yesterday to take a walk for a few pictures.  It's all so neat and clean, not a scrap of paper anywhere.  

 

Here's how it works .... you pay $7.00 each to enter (that keeps out the riff raff who try to steal) and you get tokens worth $7.00 you can spend on pumpkins or flowers.  This year they grew these gorgeous chrysanthemums! 

 

Of course there is always that ONE group.  A family of five came in, got the scoop from the new girl at the window, then just walked right in.  The girl said ... wait, you have to pay first, but they completely ignored her, went in and set up for lots of family pictures.  

I didn't say anything, just kept an eye on them.  No use making a big deal.  About an hour later, they came and asked me if they could walk through the dinosaur exhibit.  Ummmm no I'm sorry, the only thing open is pumpkin sales.  You know, pay $7 and get $7 worth of pumpkins??? 

Well they weren't interested in that, so as I followed them around, they finally got uncomfortable enough and left.  People sure can be funny!!

These are my favorite pumpkins ... the warty ones. 

 
One of the things we all do is keep an eye out for rotten pumpkins.  I smelled something every time I went in the barn, but couldn't find it.  At last, I spotted it at the very bottom of the crate.  I reached in, sans gloves, and YIKES! my fingers went right through the entire thing.  OH YUK!!!  You cannot imagine the smell.  Something akin to baby throw up, which of course almost made ME throw up.

I found a pair of gloves and cleaned up the mess.  It's not all glamorous at the Patch!!  With our 100 degree weather (isn't it October?) we are finding several of these disappearing pumpkins.

In the meantime, I have another problem to take care of ... that battery minder I put on the truck did absolutely nothing this time, in spite of the lights saying it was working.  The truck is dead as a doornail.  I'll have to find someone to bring batteries over and get it running again.  Eeek last time it cost me $500!!  Seems it's always something!





10 comments:

  1. People seem to think that the Patch is a tourist attraction and not a profitable business.
    I remember to this day what rotten pumpkins smell like.
    If the Battery Minder is not keeping the Truck charged you might have a Phantom Power draw. It might be wise to install a Battery Disconnect. Not only will it stop the problem but it can stop a car thief as well.
    Be Safe and Enjoy the Patch.

    It's about time.

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    1. I put a REAL charger on the truck. Hoping that works enough to get it to the repair shop.

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  2. I had never been to a pumpkin patch until last fall when we visited our son and family near Wichita. What fun we had! I had no idea they did all of these fascinating things that kept her busy for much longer than the rest of us help up. It was a joy watching our granddaughter have the time of her life though.

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    1. That's the best part. Watching those kid's eyes when they see the dinosaurs ... and all those pumpkins. Very rewarding!!

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  3. The mums are beautiful. It's too bad those parents are setting a bad example for their kids. What's up with truck batteries? Yesterday the batteries were dead in Jerry's pickup. That never happens!

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    1. I've no idea why the batteries went crazy, but I know it's going to be costly! LOL

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  4. Don’t you have AAA or auto Service insurance. If you have a battery charger just put the battery charger on for a day Your battery clips probably were not secure. Two more days it’ll be October and the temperature will drop to 30° below zero

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    1. Hahahaha 30 below zero! That would feel good right now. I did remember I had a battery charger. Put it on yesterday, so we shall see what happens.

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  5. I agree with Mister Ed. Just put a battery charger on it and charge the battery. Go to Advance Auto or Auto Zone to buy one if you don't have one. Good luck.

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    1. See this is why I need a MAN around. I've no idea how to change those batteries (not one but two on this truck)!! I'm hoping the charger will work magic!!

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