A BRIEF HISTORY OF A PUMPKIN PATCH TRADITION

The tradition started in October 2003, when Silas was only 16 months old and still not so steady on his feet. Silas and I spent an afternoon together at a pumpkin patch between Medford and Ashland.

The following year, 2004, the two of us hit another pumpkin patch together, this time near Jacksonville. Devon was only four months old at the time, neither interested in nor capable of finding pumpkins, so he did not join us.

Silas, et al, moved from Ashland to Beaverton shortly before pumpkin patch season in 2005, so the tradition got put on hold that year.

But in 2006, we resumed the annual event on Sauvie Island in Portland. Devon was old enough to join in the festivities by then and Naomi was still a future thought, about one month along in the oven on this particular pumpkin patch trip.

Naomi was able to join the fun in 2007, this time at another pumpkin patch near Portland.

And this year, in only two weeks from today, the tradition will continue.

Silas reaching for the prize (Oct. 8, 2003)

Checking out the harvest

Pumpkin sitting

Hay bale bull riding

A bigger Silas in a corn maze (Oct. 9, 2004)

Taking a break on a stack of hay

Hay ride to the pumpkin patch

Waist-high pumpkin

Picking a pumpkin

Picking something other than a pumpkin

Corn maze on Suavie Island (Oct. 6, 2006)

Same corn maze as seen from a helicopter

Haystack portrait

Devon tunneling through the haystack

Airborne Silas departing from the top of the haystack

The perfect pumpkins

Devon & Silas create a jack-o-lantern while Mom and Dad go on a date

Some people don’t like the smell of the inside of a pumpkin

The finished product

Another year, another pumpkin patch, another family member wrapped in a bright pink blanket (Oct. 13, 2007)

Silas finds his pumpkin

Devon finds his pumpkin

Devon takes a slide break

Hey! Wasn’t this airborne kid airborne last year, too?

Silas bowling squash at the pumpkin bowling alley

Devon’s turn

Three barnyard grandchildren with a barnyard Papa

Pumpkin-carving party

Artists with their artwork