On a gray and rainy Sunday morning in October, the Russell Farms in Noblesville was resplendent in color with a wide variety of gourds and pumpkins in just about every shade of orange, yellow, green, white, blue. The size of the squashes ranged from those that can sit on a desk to those that can be a presence on a porch.
“We try to make sure that we have the best variety of gourds at our place,” says one of the pumpkin patch’s owners, Laura Russell.
Russell Farms grows and sells Cinderella Pumpkins, Mellow Yellows, Flat White Boer Pumpkins, abd Blue Doll Pumpkins to name a few. There are mini gourds and prizewinner pumpkins — one of the largest grown at the farm this year surpassed 200 lbs.
Russell Farms is a family-run destination in its 24th year. David and Doris Russell own the farm. With their son, Daryl and his wife, Laura, they started opening the farm as a small venture with a little corn maze, craft table, bonfire and a hayride.
That first year about 40 people from the area came out, and the farm was happy to make about $50, says Laura Russell. The next year a school group came out and the teachers asked the family to explain the tractors and implements they use to farm to the students.
Agriculture and farming education, the opportunity learn about farm animals, and multiple other hands-on activities became part of the program that grew every year. Now, the school groups alone bring about 9000 kids every year, Laura says.
“They don’t realize they’re learning,” Laura says about the visiting children. “But they’re having fun while they’re doing it.”
One recent sunny morning, young school children from Erskine Elementary School in Anderson came by.
The farm came alive as kindergartners picked pumpkins, met farm animals, and tried farm chores.
Laura watched over the groups as they bounced from station to station. David and Daryl drove tractors hauling children to the pumpkin patches. Doris bundled treat bags for the teachers. Daryl and Laura’s daughter, Sammy, and her wife, Kenzie taught about the animals.
Family members and lifelong friends have made the Russell Farms what it is. Laura said she likes that the visitors feel comfortable even if they are not familiar with the rural lifestyle.
“It’s like, this is their home, too,” she said. “Even though they may not live out in the country, we want them to feel like this is their home too.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Family, friends make learning fun at Noblesville pumpkin patch
Reporting by Kelly Wilkinson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
