PHOTOS BY OLIVIA LEWIS | ARTICLE BY KATIE SAMMONS
PHOTOBOOTH Fall inTO pum thE pkin h c pat ROCK CREEK OFFERS SEASONAL FUN
It wouldn’t be fall without pumpkins. During the autumn months you can find them anywhere, including the local grocery store, but it’s definitely more exciting to pick your own. It’s especially fun when there’s a pumpkin farm only a short drive from Denver. Rock Creek Farm in Broomfield is a working farm with over 100 acres of pumpkins ready for the picking. It’s the perfect place to visit if you’re not only looking for pumpkins, but also other fun fall activities. Located directly off Highway 287, the farm is easy to find. If the fields of orange and lines of cars don’t tip you off, the bright sign flashing, “pumpkin patch ahead” will. Upon entering the farm you’re given a price sheet and a little orange saw that you use to saw the pumpkin from the vine. To get to the pumpkins you drive along wellmaintained but bumpy dirt roads until you find the perfect place to start looking. There are so many little pumpkin patches within the farm that you’ll never have to stop in a crowded spot—just keep driving until you find an area with fewer cars. The pumpkins available for purchase come in every size and shape imaginable, and while most of the pumpkins are orange, there are also green pumpkins and even pumpkins that are half green and half orange. There are also a lot of smashed pumpkins, so watch your step unless you want pumpkin goo on your shoes. No matter what kind of pumpkin you’re looking for, they all start at $7 apiece, but the more you buy, the cheaper they get. For example, if you buy three pumpkins, your total cost will be $17. Every person has a different idea as to what kind of pumpkin they want. Spencer, a little boy who was visiting the patch with his dad, said he wanted a pumpkin that
was, “completely round and heavy.” As he pulled a red Radio Flyer wagon through the field he said that he had chosen the best pumpkin on the farm because “the stem looked good.” Spencer also planned on carving “triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a mouth” into his pumpkin. David, who was sitting in the bed of a truck with his siblings, was looking for a pumpkin that wasn’t deformed and planned to carve a cat into his pumpkin of choice. One creative carving idea came from Helen, who was visiting with her husband, who thought of using a little green pumpkin as a head and a bigger orange pumpkin as a body to make a pumpkin person. Other folks at the farm were looking for pumpkins to cook with. One couple said they used the pumpkins to make beer, and another woman was planning on buying at least seven pumpkins to make pies with. Another common plan was to roast the seeds from the pumpkins after they were carved. Along with picking pumpkins, Rock Creek Farm is a great place for autumn photos. With all of the pumpkins, hay bales, and scare crows around the farm, it’s easy to find places to take memorable pictures. Also, don’t forget to take a look to the west where the Flatirons are in full, unobstructed view perfect for photographing. When all of your pumpkin picking is done, be sure to visit the interactive area with bouncy castles, a corn maze, and a hay maze for younger kids. There’s also an area where you can see horses, cows, goats, and pigs up close. And, if you’re so inclined, you can take a hay ride through the farm for $8. Rock Creek Farm is an interactive and fun place to visit if you’re looking for a pumpkin to decorate your door step, and it sure beats buying one at the grocery store.