How doth the little busy bee improve each shining hour, and gather honey all the day from every opening flower!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

TRIBUTE TO PUMPKIN PATCHES

IMG6340 IMG6317



Pumpkin patches are one of my FAVORITE Fall traditions!! I LOVE to take my kids to a new patch every year! Each and every one has it's own sort of "personality"!! We have been to some that inspire me to go home & decorate, while others inspire me to go home and bake!!

IMG_1348

IMG6290


Most of them offer mazes now too! Usually they have the HUGE corn maze (which i can NEVER get through unless my hubby goes) and we have been to some that even have SUNFLOWER mazes & HAYSTACK mazes!!

IMG_1566

IMG0216

IMG6359

IMG_1572

Many of these pumpkin patches will now have a bakery where you can buy some of the most DELICIOUS pumpkin flavored treats!! We have sampled pumpkin fudge, pumpkin breads, pies & (my personal fave) the pumpkin cookie with cream cheese middle!!! YUM!!

Here is a FANTASTIC "KID-FRIENDLY" Pumpkin Recipe:

OOEY GOOEY PUMPKIN BARS

Cake:
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 can pumpkin

Filling:

1 (8 oz.)cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (16 oz.) confectioners' sugar
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 13x9x2 in. baking pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg & buttter; mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan & set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese & pumpkin until smooth. Add eggs & vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar & cinnamon and beat wel. Reduce speed of mixer & slowly pour in butter. Mix well.
Pour filling into cake mix & spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 mins. Center will be slightly gooey. Cool & cut into squares. Enjoy! :)


The patch is a great place to buy all of your decorating needs for the Fall season!! Not only will your kids pick out some fantastic looking pumpkins for you to take home but lots of these patches offer Indian Corn, Broom Corn, Gourds, mums, dried sunflower heads & yard decorations!

IMG_1491

IMG0251

IMG6269

They also offer some of the greatest picture opportunities! The patch itself is a FANTASTIC Christmas or Fall card photo opp. of the enitre family! But they also have some of the LARGEST pumpkins you will ever set your eyes upon!! We visit one that even has a OVERSIZED rocking chair that your entire family could fit in! Some of these patches put together some beautiful backdrops made strictly from natural elements.
IMG_1574

IMG_1558

IMG6320

IMG6308

IMG6362

IMG6341


Some of the patches we have been to even have Haunted Houses!! This is especaially fun if you have older children that still like to go to the pumpkin patch! Most have petting zoos for the little ones! Even my older kids like seeing the neat animals some of these patches have!

IMG6376

IMG_1565

Another kid favorite is the corn cob launchers! Who wouldn't love to launch cobs out of a HUGE cannon! My boys LOVE this part!


IMG0223

We have even had one of my daughter's birthday parties at a pumpkin patch! The patch we were at gave the kids a hayride, a weiner roast, & even supplied the scarecrow shaped cake!! They sat out hay bailes for the kids to sit on & decorated the tables with pictures of my daughter with halloween scenes!!


IMG_1462_161_161
IMG_1476_175_175

but we made & decorated these cookies to share (and I just had to share them with you)! :)

IMG_1421_121_121

They are a learning experience too! The "Great Pumpkin Patch" in Arthur, IL labels each in every variety of pumpkin they have & even has flyers setting near that explain which particular pumpkin is good for what. Some pumpkins are great for desserts while others make a mean pumpkin soup!! They also have a historic one room school house there!

IMG6283

IMG6286

IMG6365

So here is my TRIBUTE to patches with some of our all time favorite "patch" moments!!


IMG_1343

IMG_1379

IMG_1437

IMG_1380

IMG_1423

IMG_1363

IMG_1401

IMG6276
IMG6284

IMG6318

IMG0197p.patch garrik prek fairfiled

prek ppatch

IMG0257

IMG0236

IMG_1361

IMG6278

IMG6291

IMG6316

IMG_1470

IMG_1459




So what are YOU waiting for? GET BUSY & get to the pumpkin patch....for some good old fashioned FUN & some great INSPIRATION!!! :)

13 comments:

  1. what cute photos..loved them all..we have one little pumpkin patch..and certainly nothing like this one..;) you have one cute family..;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful Family and Fall inspiration.I love going on little day trips like this.That old Red truck is my dream car oh the nostalgia.Harvest Blessings!~Amy

    ReplyDelete
  3. cute pictures! I especially like the turkey(s)!
    bettyj

    ReplyDelete
  4. WONDERFUL PHOTOS! I love groups of pumpkins and you have a real nice family! HAPPY FALL! Renee

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW this pumpkin patch looks like a fun place to be!!! I've really enjoyed reading your blog and I'm now a follower. Thanks for telling us about it over at APP. I look forward to your next post I LOVE all of your pictures!!! :)

    Fall Blessings,
    Dana

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jenn ,thanks for sharing your wonderful memories with us !I really enjoyed all your pics and love reading your blog. Hugs,Jen

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jen, love all the pics...Looked like you and your family had a wonderful time at the Pumpkin Patch...Hugs, Teresa

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a beautiful family! I know you had great times at the Pumpkin Patch. Now hubby wants a corncob launcher and I want to lay down in a vat of dried corn! Those two things might become a Thanksgiving tradition for our family get together!

    Loved your blog. Blessings, Pamela

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great Post Jenn!

    As always great pics and it looks like you had so much fun!

    Great family Jenn! You are making wonderful memories with/for them!
    And thats the best thing you can do!!

    Glad we are prim friends!
    Hugs to you!
    Lori

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awww.... Jenn, I loved your post. I am so envious of your family. All my girls are so far away and I would just love to share those memories again with them. I sometimes hate that they had to grow up but now I have 11 grand children that are also so far away.
    Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful family and fun memories with us.
    You are truly blessed.
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  11. From all those photos, it really looks like you all had a lovely day! The shots are beautiful, great scenery (kids are cute too). This was a wonderful post, thank you so much for sharing, it brightened my day!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I just have to comment on this post as seeing my last name is "begg". That's too cool to see a picture of the punkin patch you visited was Beggs. I know they are directly related as the hubs is an only and his parents were both onlys, so they would have to be very distant relatives...still cool though!

    Looks like the kids enjoyed themselves and everyone had a great day.

    D

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great family fun!
    So many photos, Loved it>>cute family>>>
    Terrific post!
    Thanks so much for sharing,
    Teresa

    ReplyDelete