Change to Fall Season Dates!

Fall Season Opening September 18!

If you go back to last year at this time and look at your blog, you'll see that we had pumpkins starting to turn already. We thought we had an unusual year for growing pumpkins last year!

The weather proved to fool us again with large amounts of rain, but little heat. Due to this, we are moving our opening date back one week to September 18. We are hoping the additional week will give the produce what it needs to ripen for the picking!

We hope to see you soon!

Lo, How the Corn is Growing

You'd think that after one full year of running the pumpkin patch, we would be able to easily improve upon that experience. Well, how quickly we forget that we are not in control. We are constantly reminded that we are at the mercy of nature and we have to trust that God will provide.

We took a walk through the corn maze today and took some pictures to show the areas that are "stunted". With the regular and often excessive rainfall we received this year, particularly in the beginning of the growing season, there are sections of the corn field that just didn't get a very good start.

Here you see the parts of the field where the corn is easily over the head of a person nearly 6 feet tall.

Then, in the same field, you see where the standing water really affected the growth of the corn.

We were really just kidding about the corn maze being perfectly proportioned for munchkins...now it's actually true!

The maze is still difficult and has an exciting new Wizard of Oz theme,

so we're confident you won't be disappointed!

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Do Your Pumpkins Grow?

If you've never heard what it takes to grow pumpkins, we think it's about time someone told you. The whole process never ceases to amaze us. God's handiwork is evident everywhere!

Have you ever looked out in a pumpkin field in the middle of the summer and noticed the beautiful yellow flowers?

In about mid-July, you'll see pumpkin plants starting to produce yellow flowers. These blossoms are critial to the growing of the fruit itself. Upon closer inspection, you'll see two kinds of flowers, male and female. (Shown below is the male flower on the left and the female flower on the right.)

The female flower has tiny pumpkins at its base and the male flower contains pollen. In order for the pollen to make its way from the males to the females, nature requires a carrier. What creatures fit the bill? Bees, of course!

About 2 weeks ago, we had a hives of bees delivered to the pumpkin patch to start this process. Once the flowers are pollinated, the fruit at the base of the female blossom develops into a full size pumpkin. Without the bees, the pumpkins wouldn't grow!

Our bees have done their job, because as you can see, we do have large pumpkins starting to come! (Now we need some heat to make them really grow and turn to orange)

How's that for amazing?!?
Nature is God's most visible miracle...take time to appreciate it!