HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM OUR FIRST TWO WEEKS AT THE PATCH, 2006...
I'M READY TO GO! TOOK THESE PICTURES THURSDAY AFTERNOON....
AND THE WEATHER IS SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT FOR OPENING DAY!
1 PM OPENING DAY, OCTOBER 6, 2006.....
At 1 pm when I went to open the gate at the end of PUMPKIN PATCH LANE, there was a car waiting to come in...Grandma Nomi with Sage and Cole eager to visit the patch!
Also visiting the patch today were Bianca and Anna from Lake Mills, Iowa. They found all kinds of fun pumpkins to take back home besides having fun at #1 PUMPKIN PLACE!
Grandma Nomi with Cole and Sage posed with the pumpkins they took home with them in the first car to visit the patch this year!
A group of residents and helpers from St. John's Lutheran Home here in Albert Lea enjoyed a great afternoon on the farm! Here I got a picture of Brandi taking a picture of the group!
Yes, it was a busy afternoon with temps in the 60s, a strong southerly breeze and NO BUGS! We had over 150 visitors on our first day which was good considering many HOMECOMING GAMES and activities also going on today.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 ACTIVITIES....
The first car in today was this group of ladies from the Delano, Minnesota area. Bernie, Donna and Corrine have been on tour with me in the past and they brought their friends to see the Patch AND ELMER! A great surprise and was FANTASTIC to WELCOME THEM to the PATCH!
left to right...Corrine, Donna, Bernie, Ellen & Linda
We had some folks here today from Moline, Illinois who worked at John Deere and again a couple boys who were wearing JOHN DEER SHIRTS and so Ethan had to ride our BIG JOHN DEERE TRACTOR and Isaac had to SHOW OFF HIS PUMPKIN here at the Patch!
These 3 boys, (l-r)Josh, Luke and Garrett, were up for handling the BIG WHEELBORROW with the pumpkins they found in the Patch!
We have a huge variety of GOURDS and this one caught Dave's eye...he was about ready to leave and just had to come back and buy this one!
The PUMPKIN PATCH PARKING LOT always had space for parking but it did get pretty full a couple times in the afternoon! It's never a problem as we also have A WHOLE SOYBEAN FIELD available for OVERFLOW PARKING TOO!
Helping me at the Patch Saturday was Aly and at one point she was able to sit and relax a bit with Max...he loves it when someone sits and PAYS ATTENTION TO HIM instead of to the pumpkins!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2006.....
We had a GREAT CROWD on a GREAT DAY with lots of pumpkins to choose from out of the patch. We've already had about 800 people out here since we opened on Friday...hope you're one of the next 800 to visit us!
We had 3 GENERATIONS visiting us Sunday too...Grandma Kellie Weitzel, her daughter Jennifer Parker holding her daughter, Sophia Parker...what a FUN FAMILY ACTIVITY--to visit the PUMPKIN PATCH!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12....
Yes, it snowed on the Patch on October 11 and during the day on the 12th. But it didn't stop a couple groups from coming out to pick out their pumpkins!
This group of students from the FAMILY Y AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM from Hawthorne and Lakeview schools still had fun playing in #1 Pumpkin Place and running through the Maze AND, of course, going into the Patch to pick out their pumpkins!
A group of residents from St. John's Lutheran Home here in Albert Lea also came to the patch and since it was so cold and WINDY, we talked and looked from the bus window. Max enjoyed being onboard the bus too as much as our guests enjoyed petting him.
FRIDAY THE 13TH.....
The Kindergarten Class from Glenville/Emmons visited the patch and had fun FINDING THE PERFECT PUMPKIN out in the Patch today.
Then they had to look over some of the gourds and pie pumpkins and try out the GREEN MACHINE. These guys would have loved to pick their pumpkins using that!
Before leaving, they all gathered for a GROUP PICTURE with their teacher, Mrs. Butler.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14.....
It was a beautiful Saturday with clear skies and warmer temps although only to the low 50s and with a stiff NW breeze at times so a winter coat felt pretty good most of the time BUT still a wonderful afternoon for many to enjoy the Patch.
I had visitors, Lowell & LaRae, visiting from Iowa who traveled with me to Sweden & Norway this year on a tour. They met friends here in Albert Lea and came out to visit the Patch...
l-r, Mary Jo Jones, Ginger Erlandson, LaRae Sandin, Bob Erlandson, Lowell Sandin, Don Jones
Tusen Takk for visiting us at the Pumpkin Patch in
Little Sweden--Minnesota!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15....
Sunday started out sunny and mild BUT soon clouded over and the wind picked up making it a typical MINNESOTA FALL DAY! Many visited the patch today and searched for THE GREAT PUMPKIN! There are still hundreds of beautiful pumpkins out there just waiting for a HALLOWEEN HOME!
We were visited today by a number of famous characters....We had A SPIDER (Jack), SPIDERMAN (Evan), SUPERMAN (Alex) and the cutest little PUMPKIN (Rachel). At the patch we sell pumpkins from 25 cents to $5 but this pumpkin and these characters are PRICELESS!
The cutest pumpkin in this wagon is also priceless and his name is Braxton!
FOR THE REST OF THE PICTURES FOR 2006, PLEASE VISIT ALBUM #2.
