COMPLETE - Pumpkin Picking Patch

Pumpkin Picking Patch – Troop #346

Scout Name: Paul Meronym
Date: ____10/7/2017________________
Costs: ___Free Admission / Pumpkin and Activities - Varies_____Patch - $1.69___

Directions: Listed below are 10 steps to complete. At the end get Miss Anarcadia or Beta-Pup to mark them off. Then turn in the sheet and patch fee to receive your patch (to be ordered).


1. What is the benefit of buying locally?

- By buying locally, we support people in our community (or nearby communities) and encourage smaller businesses to keep going. And they spend money in their local community, and so on. Plus, one thing we bought was some local honey. Eating local honey helps with allergies to local things!



2. Pick a pumpkin that is perfect for you! Are you able to carry it yourself? Is your pumpkin healthy looking? Do you know how to tell if a pumpkin is healthy? Learn about pumpkins to find
out which one is right for you.

- I picked out two pumpkins. One smallish tall orange one with a long curly stem, and one much smaller round white one with no stem at all. I could carry both at the same time, one by the stem and one in my hand. I think they look healthy - they are approximately symmetrical all the way around. I picked the tall one because of it's skinny shape and the winding-around stem.
 
3. What do you plan to do with your pumpkin? Are you going to enter the Troop Pumpkin Decorating contest? Are you going to carve it at home to use as a table center piece? Turn it into a pumpkin treat?

- I plan to decorate both, but I'm not going to cut them up at all. I'll take one or both to the Little Scouts Halloween party for the pumpkin-decorating costume, and then a couple days later to another Halloween party our daughters are throwing. Then maybe we'll take them in to work?

4. Pumpkins come in many different colors. How many different colors do you see? Learn what makes pumpkins different colors.

- We saw pumpkins that were bright orange, dark orange, green, brown, and white. Different varieties of pumpkin turn different colors as they ripen. Jack O'Lantern pumpkins are green until they are ripe, when they turn orange.

5. Going to a pumpkin farm is a lot of fun but it’s also a lot of work for the farmers. What are some ways to show them that you appreciate their business? Can you give them a donation? See if they have a facebook page and share it? Tell others about it?

- We showed them appreciation by being polite and following all the rules and buying things and saying 'thank you' a lot. We bought cards and did all the activities, and we invited our daughter to come out there with us. They do have a website - www.waldenfarm.biz - and a Facebook page, too - we shared that on our Facebook!

6. Pumpkins are edible. Do you enjoy pumpkin treats? What are some of your favorite pumpkin treats? Maybe try to bake or buy your favorite pumpkin treat to share with a friend.

- I do not like pumpkin flavors. Our friend Sarah made pumpkin bread last week, and I tried it, but I don't really care for it. My favorite pumpkin treats are Reese's Pumpkins! We have some at home to share for Halloween.

7. Did you see any other produce other than pumpkins? Do you know their names? If not look them up. Can you think of any popular fall foods that are not here?

- We saw corn, including indian corn, and lots of gourds.
- We didn't see apple cider or candied apples.

8. Did you see any of the animals? Which was your favorite?

- We saw cows, donkeys, goats, chickens, a peacock, bunnies, doves, sheep, piglets, and a turkey. The piglets were probably my favorite, mostly because they were more active and because you don't usually see piglets in like petting farm kind of things. 

9. Pumpkins are well known for this time of year. Do you know why? Find out three facts about pumpkins and Halloween or other holidays for this time of year.

- Pumpkins are harvested in the fall, as is corn. You can use the flowers, seeds, and flesh for food, and it's made into soups, desserts, breads, and pies. They are low in calories, fat, and sodium, and high in fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron.

- Jack O'Lanterns used to be carved from turnips or potatoes, but when Irish immigrants found pumpkins in the Americas, they started using them instead.

- Pumpkins are a member of the gourd family, like cucumbers, melons, and zucchini.

10. Tell a friend or post online about your experience at the pumpkin patch.

- I'm posting online about it right now! And we shared the experience with M's daughter, too!

____________________ has completed all 10 steps and given payment to receive this patch.