Pumpkin Patch Virginia Style

While in Virginia earlier this month, we were able to appreciate the beauty of this harvest season on more than one occasion. Two of our favorite places were a farmer's market our sons enjoy going to for fresh vegetables, and a visit to a charming countryside pumpkin patch with our grand-daughters.

While there we saw large plump pumpkins - only 15 dollars for three! What a deal!

They were already picked and ready to choose from.

They had a great assortment of gourds and beautiful mums to choose from.
We wondered if the girls would possibly be interested in buying their pumpkins there?????

No way! It wasn’t to be.

We are so Glad they didn’t settle for a farmers market

because we would have missed out on a

great adventure! Come with us and enjoy the ride out in the gorgeous country north of of Richmond towards Washington DC.
We saw our first peanut fields! There were so many of them.
The forested areas were so thick and pretty,

but I think I enjoyed the natural canopied country roads the best.

Isn't the tractor charming?

About forty five minutes and 20 pictures later we arrived...

at Ashland Berry Farms.
Immediately our sweet little one had to go potty!
Then they had to visit the wonderful gift shop and they reluctantly passed on the spook alley!

They enjoyed going through a wonderful maze of bales of hay, playing on the play ground equipment,
and posing with Nana with their
necklaces of an 'official pumpkin picker' !

The hayrides looked FUN! However, we were informed the rough, two mile long road leading out to the pumpkin fields made for a very bumpy ride. I am healing from back fusion surgery so we elected to stay and wait for the kids to come back with their bounty!

They were so excited to go and we wanted to explore the beautiful gardens and nursery of Berry farms.

They had beautiful fountains and ponds of Koi fish, gorgeous mums and fall flowers to be planted.
Plants I have never seen and wanted to know if I could grow them back in Utah.

This is one of the plants - it has sweet pea like flowers, then these long bean like pods! The vine was so pretty.
I have since found out after reading Brenda's wonderful blog what they were. Hyacinth Bean Pods!
My sweet husband could not escape work for all of the 12 days we enjoyed back east. That is what happens when you are the boss. He was hard at work trying to keep up with the emails that kept pouring in. So while he worked, I got to play and explore.

Then the kids arrived back and the fun began.
You see, at Ashland Berry Farms you can have all the pumpkins you could pick,
IF one person in your party can hold ALL of THEM and take three steps without any of them falling!
Tall one said the secret is having a strong base. What a genius we raised.

So the four largest pumpkins went on bottom.

He took three steps with the 12 pumpkins they had picked and we all cheered!

They picked 12 pumpkins for the grand price of $20.00!
NOW THAT REALLY IS THE BEST DEAL!

PLUS THE HAPPY FACES OF THE GIRLS WITH THEIR WONDERFUL PUMPKINS,

AND THE THE MEMORIES OF A FUN FAMILY OUTING!

It took both dad & grandpa to pull the loaded wagon to the car.
We highly recommend this Pumpkin Patch as a FUN activity for the whole family!
Then we were off to enjoy Lunch!