Pumpkin Picking at 7th Generation Farm

This year, by accident really, we tried a new pumpkin patch instead of Cottonwood Farm, straying from what has become tradition for our family. We drove to Cottonwood first, but arrived an hour before they opened. Since our lives right now revolve around Emma's sleep schedule, we knew we couldn't wait an hour for our pumpkin-picking adventure. Instead we drove over to another small, family-owned farm that is just a mile from our house: 7th Generation Farm. I'd been hearing wonderful reviews of the new farm and its owners, but although Cottonwood is a few more miles from our house, I so love our trips there. I saw no reason to change our tradition.

7th Generation has more of a true farm feel, with farm dogs running around, animals in their stables and pens rather than on display (like at Cottonwood), that wonderful old farm smell--the whole bit. The farm hands drive tractors around, wear cowboy hats and boots, and carry a pair of gloves and a knife in their back pocket. As we walked up, the farm owner stood outside a barn farm stand and welcomed us warmly if not a bit nervously. This is, after all, his livelihood. I'll admit that my first reaction as we walked up was disappointment. We were some of the only patrons there, and the farm didn't seem all that extraordinary to me. Just a regular old farm with some hay bales and pumpkins sitting outside a barn. (Really, I was a rather harsh judge after feeling let down that we wouldn't pick pumpkins at Cottonwood this year).

What I missed at first glance was what I should have appreciated above anything else: a hardworking couple doing their best to continue their family's life's work. Farmers selling local, pasture-raised beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and organic vegetables, because it is what they believe in. Thankfully I snapped out of my funk and came to realize what a great little farm we now have just around the corner.

We left with pumpkins, gourds, pork loin and sausage. And I'll return for fresh eggs, again and again. Because I want to support local, and this family, in its seventh generation of farming. 

I think perfectly posed photos are a thing of the past now. . .