Sunday, October 24, 2010

Pumpkin Patch

About three weeks ago, we helped set up the Galloping Grace Youth Ranch Pumpkin Patch. Friday our homeschool group had a field trip to the (now operational) patch. This Patch (just like the Youth Ranch it benefits) is unique in that all the rides and activities are free! In this case, if you wanted a pumpkin or some dried corn (which we did), you pay for those things, but the activities are all just setting out there for the kids to do.

A few of our favorites were:

Tractor Pulls
This was the first thing Jack wanted to do... ride in the John Deere Tractor Races. There were no lines at the horse ride, but he HAD to do this first! For some reason, I REALLY notice his (first lost) missing tooth in this photo!


Duck Races
Manually operated duck races... what a great idea!

Jack was just as interested in how the water came out of the pump as he was in getting ducks into and down the channel.

Frank & Jack had a side-by-side duck race.

I think Frank won the duck race!


Hiding around the Patch

Frank jumped out of the car and ran off with his friend. Eventually, they gathered the friend we drove over with and the three boys ran all over the Patch. I'd see them from time to time, but mostly, they were "being shown the best places to hide." Even though we'd been here before, and the patch was full of homeschoolers we know, I definitely had moments of pause as I allowed Frank to begin stretching his wings of independence. Parental Growing Pains, I suppose.

Frank. Mischief. Trouble.
Yep... I can see it right there in this expression!

Horse Rides
Finally, Jack decides to ride the horses... and so did everyone else. He patiently waited his turn in this line too.

Jack didn't remember riding our family's horse, Midnight, in Wyoming (he was just three (or maybe two) at the time). Perhaps he'll remember this ride?

Frank remembers riding his great-Grandad's horse, Duke, WITH his Dad... I guess this is the first time they've been on a horse alone.

Most kids put the horse shoe on the corral rails. Frank is so tall, she had him put the horse shoe above the gate.


We also tried Bean Bag Tosses, Scarecrow Dressing, Corn and Hay Mazes, and Digging in the Corn Crib (full of dry, shucked corn, like a sand box).

I really should take the boys back for another bit of play, they enjoyed themselves tremendously.

After looking at this, I guess I forgot to take pictures of the actual pumpkins!


PS: This is post number 444 (and still counting!) I always notice the weird numbers like this.

4 comments:

Kat said...

Thank you so much for posting this!!! I was so "into" the horse rides that I missed seeing the kids having fun with everything else. I can tell from the looks on their faces that the patch did its job for them <3

SuzyQSparkles said...

Kat-
Thanks for setting this field trip up for us AND for introducing us to GGYR. You were definitely busy; I hope you are getting some rest this weekend! Glad you enjoyed the photos. ;)

Michelle said...

Ahh, I love this post. What great photos. Thanks again for the help.

Did you come to the Christmas Corral? I'm so bad at remembering who was at what and how everyone is connected. If you did, sorry I didn't remember.

Merry Christmas.

SuzyQSparkles said...

Michelle-
We didn't make it to the Christmas Corral. We were super busy the first two weeks of the month and we've spent the rest of it at home with sick kiddos... probably because we were so busy!

Thanks for offering such wonderful family venues! :D