Pumpkins ... Pumpkins Everywhere!

Although the Pumpkin Patch has gotten off to a slow start, last night made up for it.  In the past all the attractions have been open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, every single day in October.  This year they included five days in September just for good measure.  With everyone pretty much staying home, they decided to shorten the hours.  

Pumpkin sales go from 10:00 to 2:00, attractions from 3:00 to 7:00.  Everyone has been pretty depressed since not many pumpkins have been sold.  That means we have been working overtime trying to keep busy.  One of the ideas is to set up displays all over the property and price them as seen.  You can get a good idea of how many different varieties they grow right here at the patch.

In front of the over 100 year old milking barn sits two wagons full to the brim with pumpkins.  I would say there are maybe 100 acres of fields growing all these pumpkins, along with corn for the corn maze, all supplied with drip irrigation.  It's a major operation and they are extremely good at it.

Here's a look at my walking mileage so far.  Sunday 7.5, Monday 7.3, Tuesday 5.2 and yesterday 6.  So I've walked a marathon (26 miles) in four days.  The interesting part is I spent most of yesterday on the tractor and STILL walked six miles!!  I actually do a little bit of everything, but tractor driving is my favorite!

I'm sure I could get a job driving for the local Mennonite farms.  Every time I take them around on the hay ride, the men always come tell me what a good driver I am.  I love it of course.  I think I missed my calling.  I should have been driving tractor instead of all that expensive college education stuff!!  It is also interesting to note they do not wear masks.  I like their independence!

The above picture is of what we call sugar pumpkins.  These make the best pumpkin pies ever, much better than the canned stuff.  You know most of the canned pumpkin is really squash, right?  Yes, canned is the only kind I use because of convenience, but if you want a tasty pie, cook up one of these babies and use IT for your pies.

And so, after driving for four hours straight round and round the corn maze and behind the barn where the baby goats live (I would love to have one for a pet at home), I drove off into the sunset, put the tractor to bed and headed home.

Sadly, this morning I was graced with the presence of skunks ... AGAIN!  I just don't know what to do about them other than pour expensive concrete around the entire exterior.  As it is, I have to leash up the dogs every morning just to let them outside.  I would get a trap, but THEN what would I do if I caught one?