Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch 2011

Saturday morning, we woke up really early from having stayed out late the night before {it was my wedding anniversary} and headed off to Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center, CA.  It is about a 1hr drive from our house.  We have been going with my mom and dad every year for about 6 or 7 years.  Now after having a baby, holidays seem so much more special since we have someone to make a big deal over and about.  The excitement a child feels is inspiring.

The Pumpkin March

To start off this Holiday Season, Halloween is first on the lineup, so we went to get some pumpkins and squash and whatever other spooky spectacle we could find to complete the décor of our home, inside and out.

Gorge on gourds

It's always a good idea to get an early start when heading off to Bates Nut Farm.  The lines can grow and become ridiculously long by noon.  They open at 9am.  Though we always plan to arrive exactly at 9, if not a little before, it never fails that our family just can't seem to make it out the door on time.  In addition, we are the family that ALWAYS forgets something.  ALWAYS.  It never fails.  Whether it's just from the driveway back to the house, or already on 805 and have to get off and turn around, someone from our family always has to go back to the house to retrieve some forgotten item; sunglasses, wallet, theme park passes, coupons, sweatshirt, gum, drink, snacks, or the classic..."I gotta pee".  By this time, we can only laugh about it.  The person who gets the most frustrated is the forgetful person.  

Pumpkin lane

Bates Nut Farm has tons to do, with plenty of events throughout the month of October.  They have all the necessary information posted on their website, which ranges from the hours of operation, costume contests, scarecrow contests, hayrides, pony rides, corn mazes, and the list goes on.  They also have a row of delicious food stands.  Our personal favorite:  The Corn Salad!!  The recipe is a secret, of course, but the already identified ingredients include, fresh corn off the cob, butter, salsa, cilantro, and possibly crema {a Mexican kind of sour cream...but not as sour as what we're used to}.  This year we brought some tupperware to bring some home with us.  It's that good.  They also have the classic Kettle Corn, grilled corn on the cob, pulled pork sandwiches, tri-tip, with fixins, and much, much more.  The ambience is fun and exciting, the weather is usually warm, and there are endless photo ops, so bring a camera!  If you've never seen a giant pumpkin, they grown plenty of Big Macs here!  They are sold by the pound.  I've seen them up to 160 lbs!!  You can try to look for the "perfect" one, but keep in mind that each and every imperfection adds to the pumpkin's charm.  They're all spooktacular.

Pumpkin magic

We made some awesome memories that we'll treasure for as long as we can remember.

If you live in San Diego, live a short distance away, or are planning on coming during Fall, you must make Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center one of your points of interest during your trip. Stop in, check out the pumpkins, go inside the store, buy some Pumpkin Fudge {the BEST pumpkin fudge!!} {you can sample ALL flavors...this year they have watermelon}, buy all kinds of delicious nuts and candies and dried fruits, try the corn salad, and take lots of pictures!!   You will want to remember this trip forever. 

-Becky Charms