Pumpkin Farm 2010

Today was the day for our annual pilgrimage to Burt's Pumpkin Farm. Today, we decided to go for another visit as well: to Hillcrest Apple Orchard for some apples. We just didn't get to go last month, so we drove over to Ellijay to get a few apples first. It was a quick visit - especially when compared to our stop at Burt's: we spent a few hours there, easy.

When we arrived, we decided right away to eat the picnic lunch that Mommy had prepared for us. Burt's has some picnic tables on the other side of a small creek - a nice quiet location. You actually have to go through a covered bridge to get to it, which Madison loves. We did this last year, and it was so nice that we repeated it again this year. We snacked on sandwiches and listened to the banjo music coming from across the creek. Speaking of which, we seem to have a tradition now set for our annual pilgrimage. We listen to Steve Martin's "The Crow," on the way there - it's the perfect compliment to a trip like this.

After eating, it was time to head over to the pumpkins: Madison was anxious. She was quite obsessed with getting a certain type of pumpkin, starting last night, actually. She wanted a white pumpkin. She sort of had this Captain Ahab thing going, seeking out the legendary white pumpkin.

Well, she obviously found one. Daddy found one too, after a bit of a search. I'm wanting to make a Jack Skellington carving out of a white pumpkin, so I was looking for one with just the right smooth skull-like surface. Of course, I'll share pictures when I'm done, but it should be fairly simple. Madison had her perfect pumpkin too, but that didn't stop us from looking at the huge orange pumpkins as we usually do. Some day, Daddy will buy one of these orange monsters, but for right now, the thought of moving all that weight around doesn't sound like it would be too much fun. Besides, would you carve something like that? And what would you carve on it? I think I'd have to do a big image of Jabba the Hutt or something.

Anyway, Madison enjoyed running around throughout all the pumpkins quite a bit. Ever since we mentioned it last night, she's been saying "pumpkins," and even on the drive over, she was looking out the window to see if she could spot any. Obviously, she said a whole lot when we were pulling up into the parking lot: you can see a whole lot of pumpkins from there. It's a field of orange, and Madison was pointing, and struggling to get her seatbelt off so she could go see the pumpkins. She was really excited to be here, and Daddy was snapping tons of pictures. I think we ended up with over 200 photographs by the time we were done - she just looked so cute in her pumpkin outfit that Mommy put together for her. She scrambled through the pumpkins, hiding behind the large ones - only to pop out and say "Boo!"

Before we bought any pumpkins though - we purchased tickets for the pumpkin farm tradition: the hay ride.

This is another one of those traditions. Madison loved the hay ride. She was so looking forward to it too. I can't explain the attraction to a hay ride exactly. I mean, it's a big thing of hay! Which, by the way, tends to get stuck all over your clothing. But it was certainly fun with Madison. She was piling up the hay and playing games with Mommy. Along the route, they have giant animatronic talking pumpkins, and other festive fall set-ups to see. Of course, you get to go through a pumpkin patch as well, and even through a creek. It's a nice little trip, and boy, the weather was perfect for it too!

After we got back from the hay ride, it was time to start rolling the wheelbarrow around. Madison likes to ride in the wheelbarrow at Burt's, along with the pumpkins we pick up on the way. Sometimes she tries to push the wheelbarrow too - which we seem to get a picture of each year. Eventually, she'll have the strength to push it on her own, but that's a long time from now, and by gum, I don't want to think about it!

Once we selected all of our pumpkins, it was time to head out. We actually spent a long time there, longer than we usually do. It was fun just looking at all of the pumpkins and decor. I couldn't imagine just going to a grocery store to get a pumpkin: you've got to go to a pumpkin patch!

We drove to the new house after leaving Burt's - and there is where we left the pumpkins, on the front porch with a nice fall display that Mommy made up. We watched "Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were Rabbit" on our new television, and by the time that ended, it was time to head home.

Madison fell asleep very quickly tonight, and in fact, so did Mommy. It was a big, full, wonderful day.