Rick and I lived behind, or depending on how you look at it, in front of an enormous pumpkin farm.
People came from many states, as we'd read the license plates in the parking lot.
Rick and I wanted to go something terrible, but we didn't have kids. Neighbors would say, too bad you haven't any kids so you could go to Cox farms.
One day Rick retorted to this male neighbor, "They will let us in without children, won't they?"
The man appeared shocked at the very idea. That made us decide to go.
So what? We needed pumpkins too.
(we got shamed like this at a water park in my hometown once too)
We paid our entrance fee and walked around this enormous farm.
So much to see, do, and buy.
For me, three things have stood out over the years.
1. A 3/4-year-old whose mom gave him a tiny Dixie cup of goat food as he entered the pen. I was leaning on the fence just watching this adorable little boy.
He fed the first one, grabbed his tail, and lifted it as he scooted down to examine the goat's butt. I howled at this. He continues this on every goat. Oh, he didn't bother to feed them anymore he just studied their butts. His mother finally saw this and asked what pray tell are you doing? He proudly said, 'Looking at goat butts Mom" She ran in and stopped him and made him wash his hands.
I thought it was funny. I'd have been a bad mom, wouldn't I?
2. A friend from up north/hometown, came down after a pumpkin farm convention she attended in the Midwest. Yeah, who knew there was such a thing.
She and her husband wanted to open one on their farm and the one by my house was the one all coveted. So, she asked if I'd go with her. Seeing this from her side was interesting. From the food to the games and entertainment she saw differently than me. It was so interesting. I went to her pumpkin farm the first year she opened it and let's just say. it fell short. I hear it's far better and larger now. We are no longer friends, so I only know what I see online.
3. At the end of the season they fling your pumpkin. After Halloween, if you bring your pumpkin, they will fling it. It was an enormous catapult. Sometimes, it was dropped from a high bucket like a linesman uses. Rick had a niece on his shoulder when they dropped hers. They announced whose pumpkin was going to be dropped and she got so darn excited. We adults knew they filled them with water, but the small kids did not. They showed her pumpkin raising it high above the man. Everyone cheered, and then it was dropped. Pumpkin parts and the water went everywhere. My niece got splattered. She was grossed out and giggling all at the same time. It was fun watching that.
Due to the traffic during the fall, we had to take a different road in and out of the development. It was just craziness for a couple of months. During the day the place was packed with school buses and school field trip events.
Halloween here is not much fun. No trick-or-treaters. No pumpkins to put out since no one comes here. It bums us out. Yes, we could get pumpkins for just us but why bother, it's just not the same without kids. And honestly, it was a reason to buy a box of full-size candy bars at Costco and not be judged. If you do it any other time people think you are eating too much chocolate. And yes, I do. But now I cannot justify bringing home a big ass box of candy bars, damn it.
What are you doing for Halloween?
8 comments:
That pumpkin flinging sounds like great fun to watch, and maybe end up with pumpkin and water on you. Fun for kids. No trick or treaters in my neighborhood but each year I buy candy which our church hands out at our Fall Fest, free fun for lots of kids, bouncy castles, games etc. Usually 1,000 people attend.
Pumpkin farm convention - who knew?!
Cox farms sounds like it's worth a visit this time of year for sure! When we lived in upstate NY, there were a lot of fun pumpkin patches to take the kids, but nothing as elaborate as Cox sounds. Where I live now, most get their pumkins from bins outside the grocery store :(
Terra, the fling was better than the drop to me but both were loved by the kids.
Abby, one year we offered to take a neighbors kids because this man did not want to go. His wife would not allow it and said he should go he is the father. We laughed.
"Judge away, M-effers," says Bluz, as he walks away with the giant bag of Reeses Cups.
Bluz, they are very good with wine I have found...tee hee.
I think Halloween is dying off now. Other than truck or treats. We never have got many trick or treaters since we are on a back road where we live. Everyone goes around the lake. Now we have grandkids so it's more fun again but when all my kids were big it was pretty boring lol
Once our kids were gone we did Halloween for a few years, but Sioux (our doggo) always went crazy at every doorbell ring and it drove us crazy. One year I just put out a big bowl of candy, but I'm sure after a few kids, some teenagers emptied the whole thing in their bag. So that was the last year I put anything out. And quite frankly, with all the crazy crap going on, I wouldn't take my kid out on the street.
Julie, that's sad.
It's - wow that is damn sad and it was not like this at all in Northern Va. It was fun and tons of kids with parents (all usually drinking while pulling a wagon of kids) It was like a party which we looked forward to each year. Everyone was outside because the weather was still great and adults and children alike were out in full force. (and their dogs) But then again, we didn't lock our door up north either. We lived in utopia I guess.
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