Each year, as the first crisp notes of autumn grace us with their presence, I find myself drawn out into the countryside in search of fall festivity, colorful foliage, and most importantly: the pumpkin. Now, I can visualize you all now: rolling your eyes, exclaiming “you can get a pumpkin at Kroger! Why are you driving 35 miles? Gas is $4 a gallon!” And I grant that you are right, BUT you are also quite wrong.

Growing up in the Northeast, “Fall” brought the start of school, the buzz of football season, and the last vestiges of great weather that come before the six-month torment that is a New England winter. Fall, therefore, was more than just a season, it was a time to celebrate and fully enjoy that (all too short) period of weeks before you were undoubtedly buried under multiple feet of snow.

So, what does that have to do with a pumpkin patch, you ask? Everything! What makes a pumpkin patch great is what makes any fall activity great. They must be savored. So much of what makes going to the pumpkin patch–the apple orchard, or just driving around in your parents’ car ‘leaf peeping’–is built into the fact that these are short-lived activities. They must be done with an appreciation that you will not be able to do things like this in a matter of months.

Now that I have sold you on the journey, what does one do at a pumpkin patch? Well, that varies depending on the opportunities provided by each pumpkin patch. The key is to make the most of the activities being offered. Hayride? Take it! Apple cider donuts? Awesome! Pumpkin launcher? Heck yeah! Corn Maze? Yup! Live Music? Killer! Pictures with mini–goats? DUH!  Absorbing the entire vibe of the patch is essential to the experience.  

Above all, however, you MUST make your way out into the heart of the fields and choose yourself the perfect pumpkin. This is non-negotiable. You cannot choose a pumpkin from a pre-picked bin.  You cannot take a pumpkin that someone else picked for you. And you CANNOT leave the patch without your “perfect” pumpkin. As for the pumpkin itself, as Einstein said, “everything is relative.” What you like in a pumpkin is your personal preference.

For me, the last years of pumpkin picking have centered around Joe Huber’s Orchard and Winery in Southern Indiana.  The actual town in which the Orchard resides is completely unclear to me. Today, I can get there on muscle memory alone, but for the newbies there are miles and miles of signage to guide you to the gates. Huber’s is a terrific place, with a WIDE variety of patrons: Carhartts and boots, Taylor Swift-esque sweaters and PSLs, leather jackets and visible tattoos, Hoosiers and Cards and Cats fans; all side-by-side, basking in the autumnal merriment. It’s the type of camaraderie that we could use more of in the day-to-day world.

Alas, the pumpkin patch is not the day-to-day world, it is a magical place that exists for a few short weeks every year. So, layer up in comfy clothes, pack up your buddies or that special someone (fact: pumpkin picking is an unequivocally great date activity), and get out into nature and find that “Fall state of mind.” And if pumpkin patch season has already passed you by for 2023, fear not, you just have more time to plan for 2024.