Pumpkin Patch

This is how a pumpkin patch should be- we rode out to the field where the pumpkins were growing, and picked one out!

I think it was the first time to a fall festival/farm where 1) we went out into the fields, and 2) were very hot and wearing sunscreen.

Maya kept holding her "bebe pumpkin" and kissing it.

Back in the farm area, there were pumpkins, games, a park, little rides...

Swinging into the haystacks...

We even got to learn how to milk a cow, which was curiously appropriate since we had just studied dairy products:). I was asking the dairy farmer if there were any dairy farms that allowed tours, and he told me that since 9/11 people are not allowed to visit dairy farms for fear of terrorism/contamination. So there is no way for kids to see "milking" in action. I feel like we are so far removed from where our food comes from, by the time it is processed and transported halfway around the world. I remember when we lived in London and there was a big study interviewing school-aged kids about identifying vegetables- most kids ate 0-5 veggies per WEEK and couldn't identify half of them. They didn't know what potato chips or pizza was made of, couldn't tell you what was from a plant or animal, etc. It was incredible, but then believable at the same time when you look at what is served in school cafeterias. When I worked as a high school teacher I cannot tell you how many times I saw kids eating a huge serving of fries and a king-sized candy bar for lunch (day after day after day). So at least we are trying to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils/trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, eat less salt and cholesterol (oops, except the homemade butter), etc, etc. At least being more cognizant of what we're ingesting and where it is coming from!

It was really cool to learn about the cow-milking. Who knew brown cows make more milk than the black and white speckled ones? This one can make up to 6 gallons/day! It was a really fun day- much better than if we had spent the day unpacking ;).