Photo by Elizabeth Cogswell.
Fall wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the pumpkin patch. From the corn maze to the caramel apples, the overall feeling of the pumpkin patch is one of a kind. We’re here to provide a guide to the best possible pumpkin patch experience. After an in depth internet search (in depth meaning roughly two minutes) we decided to go to The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvies Island.
Finding a pumpkin patch with an animal barn was very important to us because we knew that to make it through our visit we needed to see some cute animals. We saw quite a range of animals: bunnies, peacocks, chickens, goats, and even a llama. We even learned some cool facts. Did you know that goats were responsible for the discovery of coffee in South America? Well, now you do! While the animals were very cute, it smelled very bad and it took us barely any time to see all we needed to see. But now we can say we saw peacocks and a llama during our visit!
Corn mazes are a highlight of the pumpkin patch for many. Our pumpkin patch visit would have been lackluster without our corn maze adventure. The corn maze was split into two parts; we flew through the first half of the maze and didn’t think twice when the sign told us that the second half would be much harder. As we began walking, we found out that Lucy had a hole in the bottom of her shoe, which hindered the experience only slightly. As we walked through the second half of the maze, we began to realize the drastic increase in difficulty. We quickly became friends with the family in front of us, and their strategies led us to believe that they were maze masters. As a group, we began to walk, and we came across the number nine marker seven times! As we journeyed, Everette began to get blisters, and after 45 minutes, we made it out alive.
Getting a delicious treat is also a crucial part of the experience. We knew after our 45 minute corn maze expedition we needed some elephant ears. We walked over to the elephant ear booth to find out they were $5 for just one! Did that stop us? No, we bought the elephant ear, which was the size of both our heads combined, and sat down at a cute picnic table to enjoy. Unfortunately, the elephant ear was overcooked and crunchy, meaning we didn’t get the experience we were expecting. Although the elephant ears were a miss, we bought fresh pressed apple cider which was delicious and made up for it.
After not making it to the pumpkin patch last year, adjusting to a pandemic version of this beloved place was a little bit of a challenge. Our experience left us a little concerned by the lack of mask-wearing, but the majority of people respected physical distance protocols and standard mask-wearing practices when not eating or drinking.
Our trip to The Pumpkin Patch was filled with adventure, some confusion, interesting treats, and fun! Although we hit some bumps in the road, like not being able to get to number ten in the maze, having an unsatisfying elephant ear, and unfortunate shoe situations, we had a great time. Pumpkin patches never disappoint when it comes to being a fun and festive fall experience and our trip lived up to our expectations. If you’re looking for an adventure filled day of smiles and joy, head over to The Pumpkin Patch; who knows, you may be able to do better than us in the maze and find your perfect fall pumpkin!
