I've been very fortunate with my job. Apart from families and friends, it is something that I always thank the One above. I remember years back, shortly after my college graduation, a palm reader in Mactan (an island in Cebu) told me that I would be very lucky with my work and employers. I would be able to travel the world. True enough, all the 5 companies that employed me carried travel perks with them, both domestic and international. Of all those business travels, the best that I had was when Joey, my husband, accompanied and stayed with me for 6 months during my assignment in Pennsylvania, USA. There are many travel pieces to write about our life in the USA; where we experienced the many firsts of our lives together. In New Jersey, I got re-united with two of my best buddies in college: Aura and Melinda. Together with them and their families, we had our first pumpkin patch experience. What is a pumpkin patch? Literally-speaking, a "patch" is a piece of land, a field, or a garden where a fruit or vegetable grows. In this case, it is pumpkin. It's a term you often hear around Halloween time. Pumpkins are gathered, carved, lit with candles to create a Jack O'Lantern. Irish Origin of Halloween Jack O'Lantern It is said that this tradition originated from Ireland. The large turnips, potatoes, and beets became an early canvas because pumpkins did not exist in Ireland. According to Irish folklore, a young blacksmith named "Stingy Jack" invited the devil to have a drink with him. But since he lost his money to gambling, Jack tricked the devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks. Jack never bought the drinks. Instead, he tucked the devil-coin into his wallet, along with a crucifix thereby trapping the devil. When the devil promised not to take his soul upon his death, Stingy Jack removed the crucifix and freed the devil. When Jack died, Saint Peter barred him from Heaven because of his mischievous deeds. He was also refused entry into hell because of the deal he made with the devil. This left Jack's soul wandering the dark hills of Ireland. Since then, the people of Ireland started putting the lamps in their windows to ward off evil spirits and Stingy Jack himself. The Irish brought the Jack O'Lantern tradition when they migrated to America. As pumpkins grow abundantly in the region, they have carved pumpkin instead of the traditional root crops. What happens during "Pumpkin Patch"? If you have never been to a pumpkin patch, you don't know what you are missing! Not all farms are the same, but here are some bits that you can expect: Hay rides Hay rides are fun! It's your shuttle into the field where you will pick your pumpkins, though you can also choose to walk out to the patch yourself. We took the tractor-pulled hay ride, while sitting in a comfortable stack of straw. Be prepared for a wobbly ride. Corn Maze We left this for adventurous kids and adults. There were also large stand-ups for photo ops. Farm Animals Since it's integrated with a farm, you can feed the animals and ride on the horses. Farm to Table Grab a basket and stock up on local produce. The farm we went to was selling fresh tomatoes, different varieties of sweet corn, apples, pies and pastries. The Perfect Pumpkin Get ready with your wagon to pick and carry your own pumpkin. An average pumpkin can weigh 8-15 pounds while a large variety can weigh 15-25 pounds. If you can handle it, you can try picking a giant pumpkin that can weigh 50-100 pounds. Finding your perfect pumpkin depends on the kind of carving that you want to make. What's important is to make sure it is stable by putting it on a flat surface. Also, feel the pumpkin's skin. It should be firm all over and does not have soft spots. If it already has, then it may be on its way to rotting. Of course, since it's Halloween, go for an orange pumpkin! Our Jack O'Lantern The farm priced their pumpkins by the pound. The ones we picked were weighed and paid at the end of our activity. We took 4 medium-sized, easy to carve ones. We scooped and scraped out the inner meat of the pumpkin. They say that you can cook and eat all parts of your pumpkin. From the seeds, pulp, flesh, to its skin. You can bake them into bread, puree in the soup, or roast as a healthy treat. Some even suggests using them as part of your beauty regimen. Here's how our first Jack O'Lantern looked like. This was our first ever Pumpkin Patch and it did not disappoint us. It was a great way to spend time together and get into the Halloween mood. For us, it was a wonderful way to celebrate the colours of autumn.
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Dates
October 2018
About MeI am a software engineer based in Ireland; a qualified accountant who made a 360-degree career shift to Information Technology during the Y2K era. Joey (my husband) and I have big appetites for travelling, learning new cultures, and a passion for experiencing varied cuisines. Follow us as we chronicle life's little perks! |