Grammy on the Go
By Karen Shadrach
“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” Children adore the Charles Schultz TV Halloween special and would love to walk around a pumpkin patch. And, since it’s that time of year again, help your grandchild pick out their special pumpkin from that perfect pumpkin patch! Walking up and down the paths of pumpkins in a vast field while stopping to check out a pumpkin is a part of good old-fashioned fall fun.
It helps to think about how your grandchild wants to design their pumpkin before you go to the patch. They can pick a white pumpkin for a ghost (or to paint), or an oval-shaped pumpkin for a spooky face or monster. It’s also important to choose one that will stand up well on its own and not topple over easily.
Teach the grandkids how to find the right pumpkin. Look for a firm, dark green stem. Avoid mushy soft spots and brownish or dried out stems. A heavier pumpkin is, the better it will be for carving because it will usually have thicker walls. Don’t carry a pumpkin by its stalk! And…don’t drop it!
When going to the pumpkin patch, wear old shoes or boots if it has previously rained, as the fields will be muddy. Wearing jeans or sweatpants is a good idea, as they will certainly kneel on the ground. Also, a sweater or jacket should be worn if the weather is cooler. (It tends to be windy out in the fields) If your grandkids are under five years of age, I would take a light stroller in case they get tired walking. Strollers can also double as pumpkin carriers, if you don’t get a wheel barrow.
You’ll want to take some good pictures at the pumpkin patch. Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the best sunlight position. Choose the right color of clothes for the trip. Earth tones, darker colors (black or navy) and muted hues are recommended by professional photographers. Get down low to their level and just sit back. Let your grandkids explore the patch and catch them in cute poses, instead of staged pictures.
Do not carve the pumpkin as soon as you take it home if it’s too far in advance of Halloween. Keep it outside or store in a dry, cool place and carve it within 1-3 days before the holiday.
Pumpkin Patch Choices in Northeast Ohio
Mapleside Farms in Brunswick has a large pumpkin patch, as well as a huge fall festival with plenty of activities and food available. They have freshly made apple cider and their apple cider donuts are irresistible!
Richardson Farms in Medina off of Rt. 42 is a fully working farm and has a large pumpkin patch, along with apples and peaches in the fall. The kids can visit with the farm animals including cows, chickens, turkeys and pigs.
Sunrise Farms is located one mile west of St Rt 87 in Burton. It is open all weekends in October. Be sure to enjoy one or more of their hot apple fritters and apple cider made in their farm kitchen.
Pickering Hill Farms has a 2-acre pumpkin patch and includes a wagon ride. It is in Avon, Ohio and open Sat and Sun Oct 1-29.
Arrowhead Orchard has all U-pick opportunities beginning in September. In addition to their vast pumpkin patch, you can also pick apples and sunflowers. It is located in Stark County.
The Pumpkin Head Pumpkin Patch would make for a great day trip; approximately 1.5 hours south on I-71 in Mansfield. It is an amazing place to get a large variety of pumpkins and gourds. It is a simple countryside pick-your-own patch and is a self-serve, cash-only operation with payment to be placed in mail boxes on the side of the barn.
Big Picks Farther Afield
If you are really into pumpkins and are looking for an overnight trip, try going to The Great Pumpkin Patch in Arthur, Illinois.
It boasts 300 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash from over 20 countries around the world! All of these are grown on this family farm. There’s also Homestead baking and a collection of over 5,000 mums. Seeds are offered for sale, too.
Photos by Karen Shadrach
