Do you ever wonder about the Great Pumpkin like Charlie Brown did in the pumpkin patch? In the small town of Arthur located in Central, IL, now family and their children can have fun searching for that “great pumpkin,” at the Great Pumpkin Patch this fall.
The patch is open from September 14th-October 31st, for everybody to search for that perfect pumpkin, and to buy some squash to cook for their favorite meals and desserts. There is plenty to do, and many photo opportunities for the family to gather together at the fun little place in the middle of the countryside. Admission to enter the pumpkin patch is $3 for ages 13 and up, and those who are ages $6-12 only pay $1 to get in. Admission for the little kids is free.
This season, the Great Pumpkin Patch is also excited to be featured on the DIY network too. The show will be aired on September 23rd, in a show called, “The Dirt On.” In October 2005, the pumpkin patch was also featured in the Martha Steward Living magazine. This famous little patch has been recognized around Illinois, and has been getting some national attention, as it is a popular spot for local schools to come visit during the fall season as well. With it being located almost in the middle of nowhere, it’s almost like it is a little pumpkin hideaway for the entire family.
The pumpkin patch is filled with many pumpkins, squash, corn, and gourds. In fact, the patch holds almost 400 different kinds of varieties of pumpkins! They also have a fun straw maze that holds the children’s attention and they have a blast scaring each other at all of the dead ends of the maze. Not only does this patch have a straw maze, and plenty of pumpkins, but they also grow some of the most beautiful mums as well. The Great Pumpkin patch has over 8,000 harvest mums that are available for sale to the public.
While you are searching for your favorite pumpkin to decorate, don’t forget to stop by the Homestead Bakery that is open year round. The bakery sells homemade bread, pies, cakes, rolls, and plenty of yummy cookies! During the fall season, they have a variety of pumpkin specialty treats too! Check out their pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin bars, pumpkin pie, cream cheese frosted pumpkin cookies, and even fresh baked pumpkin pie donuts! Get a glass of apple cider and you can be in true delight with your appetite for the fall weather.
After stocking up on plenty of treats and pumpkins to take home, make sure you stop to take a look at one of the last one-room schoolhouses that are left in the area. The pumpkin patch features a one-room schoolhouse that is from the year 1912. School students can tour through this little retro building with fellow classmates and see how students way back when used to learn. For schools who are interested in taking their students for a tour, there is a $1.50 fee per student, and all children will get a small pumpkin and a coloring book to take home with them. Children can even have fun riding on the 15-minute rack wagon ride that takes them through the cornfield and pumpkin patch for a wide-open tour!
Just by taking a trip through the country side, families and children can find themselves in the great Pumpkin Patch with plenty to do and of course, plenty of pumpkins to see too! Bring a jacket, some warm cider for later, and it can be a great little afternoon trip for everybody. Don’t forget to take a trip through the straw maze to add a little bit of suspense to your trip too!
