Wow! The Pumpkin Patch at our farm, Major Produce, is over, and I feel like I can think straight again! The weather was great on both weekends, and we had lots of families who came to have fun.
In between the two weekends of Pumpkin Patch, we host school groups on field trips. This year, the kindergarten class and the first/second grade class from Covenant Christian School came on Wednesday. The kids had a great time! (This was the first time in many years that I was able to come with a school group, because I am now teaching the right grade level. - Somehow, high school math classes can't justify a field trip to a pumpkin patch! It just doesn't fit in with the Michigan Merit Curriculum!)
First, we went on a hay ride along the north branch of the Pentwater River. There were various scenes set up along the hay ride. Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf; Hansel and Gretel; Dorothy (and Toto), the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Wicked Witch of the West and three flying monkeys; and a spaceship with four aliens were able to keep the kids' interest as they rode along the river.
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| Lincoln inspects the gourds with Carol Switkovitz |
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| Rachel is hurrying to find as many as she can! |
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| Here comes Ben with his treasure. |
Next, we went on a Gourd Hunt. There were gourds hidden at the base of a hill, and the children had to find them all, and bring them back to the starting place. They made short work of that, and had fun running all over the grass to search for them.
Our next activity was a bean bag toss, and a snack. We enjoyed doughnut holes and a drink of lemonade. Everyone was glad for the drink after their romp in the hay!
After our snack, we went into another greenhouse and played a pumpkin roll game. The students were paired up and had to roll a pumpkin across the greenhouse to their partner. The partner then rolled it back to the starting place. Somehow, pumpkins aren't exactly round, and don't roll as easily as a ball - so they had fun chasing them from one side of the greenhouse to the next.
Our next stop was to pick out a pumpkin. Each child picked out a Baby Pam pumpkin to bring home. Hopefully, the pumpkins all made it home in one piece!
Before we left the farm for the day, all of the students gathered together and listened to a story about a farmer who grows pumpkins every year and picks out the best one to carve and set on his porch with a candle in it.
Then, it was time to leave. The students returned to school happy, but very tired! I'm guessing that they all slept well on Wednesday night! I know that I did!
