Pumpkin Picking at Cottonwood Farms

It was chilly this morning, but that didn't deter us from heading out into the crisp fall air to pick pumpkins.  Pumpkin picking (and carving) is one of my favorite fall traditions; I have fond memories of picking, hay rides and corn mazes, and I want to carry this tradition into Isaac's childhood, too. Last year we took Isaac to Anderson Farms, which was a major to-do. We waited in line for over an hour to get into the farm gates then, and we promised ourselves we wouldn't do that again for a very, very long time. So instead, we chose another farm--one just down the road from our house--where we picked out our Christmas tree last year. Smaller scale, but just as lovely, we thought.

We were one of the first families to arrive at Cottonwood Farms and had free reign petting farm animals, pulling along wagons, and tractor rides. Once families started to trickle in, a cute little boy named Benjamin followed Isaac around petting the goats and watching the donkey and miniature horse pace around. Benji was the same size as Isaac, but only 14 months old. He toddled after Isaac and flashed a cheesy grin for his parents' photos, just like Isaac does. They were pretty cute together.

The actual pumpkin picking was the least of Isaac's concern. There was so much more to do than pick out a silly old pumpkin. After much petting and then checking out the cool steam engine tractor, we made our way through the pumpkins. Ben pulled Isaac, steering the wagon over the hard, lumpy field, until we were surrounded by the brilliant orange things. We asked Isaac which pumpkin he wanted, but he was busy pushing the wagon around. "This one," he said, pointing to the nearest pumpkin. We laughed, found our own pumpkins and asked him again. "This one," he said, pointing to another pumpkin without giving it a second glance. So we picked that pumpkin up and put it into the wagon. Isaac was happy enough to pull it around the field, and that's really all we wanted.

We finished out the trip with a solo family tractor ride. Lucky us! Out past the pumpkin patch, around a corn field and back again, waiving to the families along the way. And Isaac asked to look at the steam engine tractor ("choo choo tractor") one more time before we left--he was equal parts scared and captivated by it--so we decided then and there we would head straight to the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Cottonwood Farms, we'll be back soon! And hopefully next time I'll have a photo of myself with Isaac that isn't blurry!