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Our new family tradition: Visiting the pumpkin patch

Beautiful changing leaves, cool crisp air, shortening of daylight hours and a change in fashion – these are all the markings of the start of the Fall season. Fall is my absolute favourite time of year. Despite having to pack away my beloved flip flops, backyard patio furniture and watch each passing day grow darker faster, I do look forward to Fall Fairs, warm apple cider, making hearty soups and the start of the holiday season.

Thanksgiving kicks everything off with an abundance of food and family. Your friends and colleagues may even start saying things like “Did you know it’s only 2 months till Christmas?”! Which inevitably elicits a few groans and a mental check of how much money you’ll start spending as the weeks tick by.

However, sandwiched in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have Halloween! Being a relatively new parent, I got back into the spirit last year when I purchased a “Baby’s First Halloween” bib for my daughter and an adorable pumpkin hat, she just had to have. She was a ladybug her first year and to this day the photo I took of her remains one of my favourite, prominently framed on my kitchen counter.

As she’s able to walk and now run confidently this year, we decided to start a new tradition with her and venture out to a real pumpkin patch! I know it’s very convenient to simply purchase a pumpkin at any grocery store, but I wanted to get our hands dirty, have a few photo ops and see how excited she was by all the selection.

Img 00382 - our new family tradition: visiting the pumpkin patch

Decisions, decisions…

Hutchinson Farm did not disappoint!

A family owned and operated farm located in North Burlington, my husband found them very quickly on Google, mapped out their location and off we went. We chose the perfect day to visit as the sun was shining bright and the fall foliage was breathtaking as we drove the winding roads to the farm. The property boasts an impressive “pumpkin gallery” (see below) within a warm greenhouse where you can tour a large selection and also learn about several different varieties.

The impressive gallery of various pumpkin selections.

The impressive gallery of various pumpkin selections

There is no admission fee at Hutchinson Farm, good parking and a very impressive selection of pumpkins from the classic Jack-o’-Lantern to an extensive variety of heirloom, white and miniature. Very reasonably priced, we left with a good size pumpkin, a mini pumpkin and 6 colourful gourds for less than $12! Best of all, my daughter had a fantastic time and protested being packed into her car seat when it was time to leave.

Within the Halton Region and surrounding areas, there are a number of pumpkin patches to choose from – here is a short list:

Hutchinson Farm – 6202 Walkers Line, Burlington, ON
Springridge Farm – 7256 Bell School Line, Milton
Frootogo Orchards – 573 Parkside Drive, Waterdown Ontario

I encourage you to visit their respective websites, take note of any admission fees, their hours, pack your camera and prepare yourself for a fun, family outing.

What is your favourite Halloween tradition with your kids?

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