Farming It Out--TRIP 3 (2012)

Even the entrance to Didier Farms
screams commercialism.

Halloween decorations abound.

Grandma Helen and Andy find a spot
in the Pumpkin Patch.

Beautiful weather lured us to Didier Farms, a local adventure farm for young children. Several thousand people crowded into the stalls and crammed the aisles of the main farm store. And more thousands of pumpkins and gourds covered the grounds. Tents lined the grounds with all kinds of fruit products and Halloween crafts for sale. Outside of the corn maze a couple tawny ponies waited patiently to pull a wagon for the hayride, and colorful carnival rides excited young children: the airplanes, the teacups, the circling choo choo train. For five tickets ponies circled the ring. Another five tickets bought a camel ride around the pen.
"Only three tickets to come inside and see the African tortoises," barked a concessionaire.
"I take care of Tara's African tortoises for free," I joked.  "We'll pass," I thanked him.
One trip down the 50-foot plastic slide cost four tickets.
"I'm guessing tickets are a dollar each," I told Andy and Grandma Helen.
"Probably a quarter," guessed Andy, "so a dollar for the slide."
I was right.
"That's highway robbery!" he ranted. "Four dollars to slide down once? This place is a rip off. That's awful."
I agreed. "Imagine if you had a couple or more kids."
"But they have a deal--45 tickets for $40," he answered sarcastically.

Andy reads the sign, but only after the fact.

Grandma Helen just looked at all the colors and action. It was fun to just browse... the pumpkins were huge! But 49 cents a pound meant the big guys could easily cost upwards of $30 for one. Regardless, they made for great pictures. And it wasn't until after I snapped the shots that we noticed the sign, "DON'T SIT ON THE PUMPKINS!" I guess we weren't the only ones. A young girl, probably seven or eight, hopped from one giant gourd to another giant gourd, oblivious to everyone and everything.  Then again, it wasn't pumpkins.
Oblivion.  It was that kind of day.