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Tag Archives: grammy’s pumpkin patch

Summer Heats Up

We’ve been a bit spoiled with some fairly mild temperatures this summer. Last week and this week, however, we have felt the brunt of Kansas heat. Early this morning, the pumpkin plants looked beautiful-dark green vines, bright yellow blossoms, and busy bees. Grammy went to get her camera before noon, and this is the result.

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The blossoms are already closed due to the heat. They close as the plant conserves moisture. These pumpkin plants are pretty reliable temperature gauges! Today they seem to say, “Stay inside if you can. It is too hot for man, beast, and blossom.”

Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch- McPherson, Kansas 2015

 
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Posted by on July 13, 2015 in Grammy's Pumpkin Patch

 

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Agriculture is…

Second graders from Eisenhower Elementary wrapped up their “In the Class and On the Farm” agriculture education program today. It was a bit muddy, but these agriculture advocates were hard workers and great learners.

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Thanks to our Ag Sponsors for helping make this possible: Krehbiel’s Specialty Meats, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kiwanis, Home State Bank, John and Carol Yost, Joe and Donna Pavlovsky, ArtShirt, McPherson County Community Foundation, MidKansas Co-Op, and Tractor Supply.

Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch at Johnstown Farm-McPherson, KS 2014

 
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Posted by on October 1, 2014 in Grammy's Pumpkin Patch

 

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Hello, Pumpkin Patch…

Today certainly felt like pumpkin patch season is upon us. You know that type of day when your feet sigh with relief when you sit down at night? That was today. We started off our day (after chores, of course) at Washington Elementary School in the second grade classrooms where we kicked off our agriculture education program, “In the Class and On the Farm.” It was a privilege to guide the students in the discovery of the “what” and “why” of Kansas agriculture. Did you know that it is impossible to live a day without being affected by agriculture? Just ask those second graders, they’ll tell you! Here they are wrapping up their class time illustrating one of the many ways they were affected by agriculture today.

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After class it was time to hustle back to the farm to prepare the grounds for the pumpkin patch season. We open on September 27, and there is much to do. By the time the sun went down, we had checked off a lot of items on the master “To Do” list- prepping the new school room, filling sand boxes, painting signs, moving equipment, etc. As we worked around the farm, we found at least five of these big guys. This isn’t the best picture, but I couldn’t make myself get any closer. I think his body was about two inches long, not counting his legs. I have never seen so many giant spiders in one day. I know they are great for taking care of the gardens, but they sure can take us by surprise (and sometimes yelp out loud)!

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Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch at Johnstown Farm – McPherson, KS 2014

 

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Preparations . . .

We enjoyed a weekend of preparing the farm for the upcoming season of Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch. We all do our own parts during the year, but my favorite time is when all the family comes down to work together. The beautiful weather was just what we needed to keep us going as we worked outside. I love that coolness in the air. It makes everything feel so….autumnish! Justin was working on preparing the trail for the barrel train, Dan was busy in the shop creating contraptions for the destruction zone, Papa was wiring the converted education room, Grammy fed us all, Angie and I were working on scheduling and store preparation, and the grandkids… had the most important job this weekend. They were cuddling the two new kittens and putting together scarecrows.

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Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch at Johnstown Farm, McPherson, KS 2014

 

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Planted, partially

It is about two weeks later than normal, but we finally could get in to some of our fields to plant our patches. After three years of significant drought, I cannot complain about the rain that put us behind in planting. The miniatures, giants, and some gourds are in the ground, weed blocked, and watered.

It was a fairly quick job with some great help and most appreciated cloud cover. We definitely could have done without the swarms of mosquitoes. Unfortunately, I am afraid they are around for awhile.

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Here's what Ben thinks of the mosquitoes.

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Charis is putting 3 seeds every 2 ft.

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Transplanting is tricky with cucurbits.

Grammy’s Pumpkin Patch 2014 @ Johnstown Farm-McPherson, KS

 
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Posted by on June 19, 2014 in Grammy's Pumpkin Patch

 

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