The Pumpkin Farm - Gilcrease Farm

After last year's depressing Wal-Mart--parking lot  Pumpkin Farm, I was determined to go somewhere else this year.  I heard from a friend that there was a 'real' farm on the other side of Vegas "where there is actual soil on the the ground!"  After reading up about it on-line, we found out the whole farm was set in the most fertile land in Vegas, fed by natural springs.  So we were all pretty excited when we piled into the car for our 40 minute ride.

Technically, it did have soil, so that wasn't a lie.  But, at any other time in my life, I probably would have categorized the same, dry, stuff as either dust or sand.  From the moment we parked the car, we knew that this was, in no way, going to be like our pumpkin farm wonderland in Charlotte, or even the wet, chilly one in Washington.   No.  This was a going to be a whole different kind of farm.

As soon we stepped though the gate, we joined the long, dreary line of weary travelers, marching down the endless, dust-bowl dirt/gravel road.  The sun beat down on us relentlessly, and we felt our excitment melting in the heat.  As usual, it was a cloudless afternoon, but at least it was going to stay in the low 80's.  (You will notice that we are all squinting in every single picture!)

What followed was at least a 10 minute soundtrack of whine-soaked trudging.  "I'm hot!"  "I'm thirsty!"  "When is this road going to end?!"  "I never wanted to come here!"  "Why can't we just go to Wal-Mart?"  It was a lonely road to take since 5 minutes in, I sent Robert back for the stroller.  Jason gets pretty heavy, so let's just say that by the time we finally made it to the hay maze, ain't nobody was happy.

The twins cheered up at the hay maze, although Ethan and Jason were neither impressed nor amused with the small, broken down pile of hay.  When Rob finally returned with the stroller we were all ready to find our pumpkins and hit the road.

When we finally got to the field we sent the kids off through the dusty rows of melting pumpkins.  Jason wasn't too interested in getting his feet dirty, so Robert and I took turns keeping His Highness' feet off the ground.  So spoiled.  

Despite Ethan's grumblings, he was the one who went out to the furthest possible corner to find the perfect pumpkin.  After finding the perfect one about five times, he finally narrowed it down to two.  (We gave in and bought them both.  Don't judge.  We were up for anything to hurry the decision process!)  

Alaina was a little more selective and instead of finding five perfect pumpkins, she deliberated over each one, weighing the pros and cons of picking each particular pumpkin.   When we saw that this was going to take more time than we were willing to give, we insisted on picking up the two pumpkins she was inspecting and we told her she could also have them both.  (Again.  We were hot and I was feeling a little grumpy.)

Austin was the smartest of the bunch.  He went straight out, immediately found a good pumpkin and headed back to the only shade anyone could find; a sad little group of corn stalks.  And there he stayed.

 When Ethan and Alaina made it back, they squeezed in beside him to find any shade they could.  Just look that this hot little group!

Jason wasn't keen on any part of the Pumpkin Farm experiment.  He did, however, find a bunch of his favorite things.  Rocks!  Thank goodness for all that gravel!  He kept digging up handfuls and kept declaring "Rrrroooccckkkkk!" to all who passed by.  

We tried to cheer him up with his very own, Jason-sized pumpkin, which despite it's extreme cuteness, was apparently not very impressive to our youngest child.

Robert, however, is not easily deterred, and eventually got the smallest of smiles out of the boy.

And here is the crew with their many, many pumpkins.  (some of those are really only there for decoration, but I'm pretty sure we came home with seven pumpkins.  If I'm doing my math right, that is one for each of us plus an extra one for luck.)  

Once we had the pumpkins, we were faced with a very tricky transportation problem.  One that Robert fixed immediately.  No surprise that the Master Packer could fit 5 pumpkins into a toddler's stroller, but just look what he made our poor baby do!  Walk!  (gasp!)

 We eventually made it back to the front and then through the long purchasing line.  Up until that time, even Robert was saying that next year we were headed back to Wal-Mart.  However, when he found out it was only 50 cents a pound, he immediately changed his tune.  "We are definitely coming back here next year!"  "Do you want to go back and get some more pumpkins?!"

While nobody was on board for turning around and doing it all again, right at that very moment, the kids were quiet pleased with their pumpkins.  I think we just might head back next year, only next time we'll be better prepared.  We'll bring a wagon and go early in the morning.

Now.  I'm not sad that we went.  It really was much better than last year.  I just can't help dreaming of the lush farms and bumpy hay rides of yesteryear.  Until we can make it back there, we'll just have to be happy with our desert farm.