Seed's grow it's what they do!

That's some quote from some kids movie that I can't remember but I know us kids always turn it around and say weeds grow its what they do.  We've been getting to utilize or garden hoes this summer in the pumpkin field combating all the water hemp!  But there is one thing bigger that all the weeds on the farm and that is our giant pumpkin growing in the garden!! I have no idea how much it weighs but it's getting huge!

This picture doesn't do it justice, it's got to be the size of a yoga ball!  And here's the plant it's attached to!

And then some very exciting news is that we have 7 beagle puppies!!!!  5 girls and 2 boys, girl's seem to be super popular in our family. 

They're adorable when they're sleeping, and here's the proud mommy!

And some pictures of our field right now...

The mums are looking awesome and will be ready to buy this Friday already! They are not blooming yet but this is the time to buy them and plant them if you want them planted in the ground.

Cool pic from mum level...

One thing new we're trying this year is growing three mums in a planter like this, the two mums on the outside are a different color than the middle one.  So for example the outside mums might be purple and the middle one white.  Just an experiment we're trying this year.  

And our pumpkin field is looking pretty good but definitely in need of some rain! So much so that we've actually hooked up a drip irrigation system to water our largest pumpkin field.

This doesn't really show it very well but drip tape is just like a black plastic hose that has a little hole in it every few feet and the water drips out of it.  

And here's a panoramic view of the entire field from the north west side with the corn maze on the left and the pumpkins in the distance!

Two Months to Opening Day!

I had this major blonde moment yesterday morning when I woke up, I thought it was still June but not only is it not June but the 4th of July is Friday!!  Wow, so that means time to dig potatoes, that my summer break is half over and only two months till our family pumpkin patch opens for the season! So what have the country kids been up to this summer?  

Well May started off with the 1st birthday of our baby brother and then followed by mom and dad's 19th anniversary and then my graduation from high school.  

  Somewhere in there mom and dad went down to Elkton, KY to pick up our pots, fertilizer and other supplies.  And then June found us getting things ready in the field.  First we planted the corn maze, which is still 2 acres and it is already shoulder high! 

After the corn maze got planted that following week Sarah and I went to Florida with the NCHS Choir and while we were gone the pumpkins and gourds were planted and 2000 pots were filled with dirt and put in the field.  

We came back Sunday the 15th and that Monday and Tuesday we filled the rest of the pots.  Wednesday the 18th our mum cuttings arrived and we planted all of them, which was over 5,000, by 3:00 on Friday. 

 It was definitely a hectic week!  

And just as things were winding down from that we had the zoning board and town board meetings which both went well and we now have our special use permit and are good to go for the season.  I want to send a big thank you to everyone who has supported my family over the last 5 years but most especially these past few months.  Our business would not be possible without the wonderful support from our family, friends, and the town of Hoyleton.  

THANK YOU FROM ALL 10 OF US COUNTRY KIDS!!      

Quotes of the Season

I realize I have posted hardly anything this month, but pictures from this year will be posted ASAP!  It has been one heck of fall starting back in September with the uncertainty of being open or not, to getting ready to be open, to putting all of our efforts into having a successful year.  I'm posting some of the quotes my siblings, myself and my parents have come up with this year as we've been bonding while working in the field at all hours of the day.

"Hey, there is Leo the Lion (the constellation)" while loading a mum trailer.

"I am just standing here not doing anything."  (Really??)

"He must have been real cute!"

"No broken stems!" (while smaller kids are helping with mums)

"Do I need to set my alarm for 4:30?"

"Great times are waiting, grab some Mums!"

"Burgermeister Meisterburger"

"Time for Rosary!"  (at 10:30 pm)

I am mentally paralyzed!

"Stop the Sanguine and start Diligizing"

(diligizing is a word Dad came up with to explain diligent work in progress)

"I get to babysit!"  (this is the kid trying to get out of the field work)

  

Deo Gratias!

A few weeks ago we were told that we must close our pumpkin patch for the season.  After much disappointment, my family went into action to find a way to sell all of our mums and pumpkins.  We've been selling them through fundraisers, wholesale markets, fall festivals, and even roadside.  We also gained the help of an attorney to try and work through some of these issues.  Late Sunday evening we received word that starting Saturday we can legally be open to the public!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It has been a very happy week as we have been busily getting things ready for opening day!  A huge thank you for all of the prayers and support over the last few weeks!  Throughout this all it has been wonderful to hear supporters tell me they hope things will get better, and many a times it has brought tears to my eyes to realize just how many friends my family does have here.  

Once again thank you and I would love to see you all sometime this season out at the pumpkin patch!!!!!!! 

Fun on the Farm

I've done a lot of ridiculous things in my life, but this one has to be #1. I come home from work and moms like, hey i need you to climb up on Sarah's shoulders and pick this ear of Indian corn cause it'd make such a cute picture.  I showed one of my friends and he wanted to know if I've ever heard of a ladder, haha!  We like to do things the fun way on the farm.  

Our Indian Corn is looking great though!  We will have bundle's of it for sale at the Nashville Fall Festival this weekend!

Summer Weather in September

I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for fall weather.  I love it when it's warm enough to be outside comfortably but yet cool enough at night you need a jacket.  And what about the smell of autumn, or the taste or the sites.  It's the time for hayrides, bonfires, and friends.  Mom and the kids have been working on cleaning up the schoolroom and working on the farm.  Sarah and I have been busy with school, I can't believe midterm is Friday already!  This weekend we will be delivering 800 mums to Herrin, their high school cheerleading squad sold them for a fundraiser.  I will get pictures of the mums, pumpkins, and other things to post as soon as I get the chance.  We had a neighbor give us a bunch of apples so I will be canning applesauce and apple pie filling the next few days!  Have a lovely week!

Small Town Pride

We've had quite a few friends and neighbors tell us that we could sell our mums out of their front yards and after some thinking we decided to see how well it would work.  A few nights ago we had a friend, Mrs. Frankie Warren, tell us that we could sell mums out of her front yard in Hoyleton.  Since she lives on the main road running through Hoyleton we decided to try it.  So this morning I loaded up my car, quite a few times actually, and went and sold mums roadside from 8-11:30.  It was a beautiful morning for it and it made me so happy to see so many happy customers come up and compliment me on my mums and drive away with their cars loaded up.  We are truly blessed to live in a town with so many friends!  Since this morning went well I'm hoping to continue selling mums road side style for the next few Saturdays.  Hope you all have a lovely weekend!