Last year we went to the biggest pumpkin patch in Portland. It's on the lovely Sauvie Island which on any normal day is a nice place to visit. Unfortunately with only one way on the island and one way off and with 20,000 visitors during the fall season, it gets a little...congested. The farm itself was fine although way too crowded for me. Traffic was so bad it took us 3 hours to get off the island. In the middle of which we had to beg a nearby farmer for gas because we were on empty and then get back in line to sit and wait. And oh yeah...I was 2 months pregnant and very sick. Needless to say, we vowed never to go pumpkin hunting there again.
So this year, we took the hour or so drive out of the city to Hood River. A beautiful little town and a peaceful drive along the Columbia Gorge. The farm itself was absolutely perfect...family sized but not crowded at all. They had a corn maze and pumpkin bowling and 2 farm dogs that followed everyone around looking for a good rub. Their barn store was full of crisp apples and sweet pears and other goods and the first thing you notice about their pumpkin patch is that Mt. Hood is nestled in the backdrop looking down on you. We will definitely be going there again next year.
The barn store. We bought bags of apples and pears and delicious apple cider.
Heading to the pumpkin patch
Driving a tractor
Mt. Hood peaking out from behind the trees.
Hanging out and enjoying the view
Walking through the corn maze reading the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Pulling the snake's tongue
Finding corn
Silly family picture
Back to the pumpkin patch to find our pumpkins!
Ian and a friend kicking a rotten pumpkin
Dad and Ian carrying our pumpkins to the scale.
Note to self: Wheelbarrels can tip over when they are only carrying a wiggly toddler.
Which never stops a little boy from doing it again!
Pumpkin bowling
See you next year!
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4 comments:
What great pictures!! And great memories for your family to look back on through years to come... I'm a little jealous... I never got to go on fun day trips like this when I was a child....Love, Merredith
Love the pictures! The lighting was great that day. This was our first experience with Sauvie Island. We went to Kruger's, and arrived around 6pm, so didn't have to wait to get on the island, and then stayed until 9:30pm for the bonfires, night hay-rides, and live music & dancing. It was fun. I wouldn't do it any other way. Traffic was backed up until 9pm for miles. I think w/out staying that late you'd be up for a 2 to 3 hour wait at least. It's pretty crazy, but I'm glad to have found a way around the traffic. I think if we continue going to Sauvie Island, we'll always go at night to Kruger's, unless weather conditions prevent. Hood River sounds like a blast, too. --Karli
Mr. Kruger is the one that gave us the gas! For free I might add.:-) I love Kruger farms...unfortunately we went to the other pumpkin patch last year and it was at the busiest time...around 11am on a saturday. It was just the combination of everything, me being sick, running out of gas, etc...that makes us not want to go their for pumpkins anymore. I have gone back to Kruger's this past summer for produce and flowers. It's beautiful there! I'm glad you had such a nice time. I'm sure evening was a much better time to go. But for us...I think it's Hood River from now on :-).
Picking out pumpkins has always been a fun time. I love Ian's expression whild on his favorite machine, the tractor.
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