Diane's Pumpkin Patch, photo by MilliGFunk

Little is more perfectly fall than picking pumpkins together, and Nick and I are both suckers for fall. We decorated our front porch in fall colors, pumpkins and a scarecrow, and we picked pumpkins together as part of a Groupon date at Diane’s Pumpkin Patch in Canon City, Colorado.

MilliGFunk and the Giant Pumpkin, photo by Nick

Diane’s Pumpkin Patch is a family-run business dedidcated to helping its owners put their daughter, Diane, through college. At the entrance to the pumpkin patch sat a pumpkin that was bigger than I am. After snapping this photo, we gave our Groupons to the Diane’s mom, and we headed inside to explore.

Picking Pumpkins at Diane's Pumpkin Patch, photo by MilliGFunk

The pumpkin patch is really just a field in which they place pumpkins picked elsewhere. We each picked a large pumpkin from the field, placing them in a metal wagon to carry to our car.

The Best Pumpkins in the Patch, photo by MilliGFunk

For most of us, it’s the field with pumpkins in it – with vines or without – that makes pumpkin picking fun. It didn’t phase us at all that the pumpkins weren’t grown in the same place where we picked them.

In the Corn Maze, self-photo by Nick & Melissa

Diane’s Pumpkin Patch didn’t just have pumpkins though. There was a corn maze, a giant slide, and a snack bar with fall-friendly foods like apple cider, roasted corn on the cob, popcorn balls, and candied apples. They designed a “Clue”-like game inside of the corn maze, which we spent at least two hours playing, hoping to solve the who-dunnit.

Corny Funk, photo by Nick

As a throwback to fall in small town Missouri, I posed with my corn on the cob. In case you weren’t reading back in 2009, my picture was in a Potosi, Missouri newspaper during the Moses Austin Festival, eating roasted corn on the cob.

Diane’s Pumpkin Patch was a fun way to bring in fall in small town Colorado. What are your favorite ways to celebrate this time of year?

Canon City Oktoberfest, photo by MilliGFunk

Early in Oktober (get it? har har har), Nick and I traveled to a small Colorado town. Said small town is best known for a big hole in the ground near it that you may have heard of — The Royal Gorge. The town is called Canon City, and its population is just over 15,000 people.

Nick and I spent our afternoon picking pumpkins at Diane’s Pumpkin Patch, but we spent our evening in a post office-turned art gallery called the Fremont Center for the Arts, eating bratwurst and sauerkraut with the town’s locals at their local Oktoberfest celebration.

MilliGFunk in Small Town, Colorado

The best part was spending time together. The second best part was the food. Somewhere high up on the list of things that made the day fun was making the local news.

Here we are, in the small town’s newspaper, celebrating Oktober in Canon City: http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_19026367.

Oktoberfest in Canon City, Colorado, photo by Charlotte Burrous

I may not live in a small, rural Missouri town anymore, but I still enjoy exploring the small towns around me in Colorado. What’s your favorite things about small towns in the fall?

Farmington Fall Fest 2009, Photo by MilligFunk

Guest Post by Jody McDowell

The annual Farmington Fall Festival is happening downtown this Saturday, the 24th, from 9:00 to 3:00. West Columbia street will be lined with festive booths featuring handmade arts and crafts from local artists, and delicious eats.

Downtown Farmington, Missouri, Photo by MilliGFunk, 2009

There is sure to be something for everyone! Animal lovers can attend Pet Fest at the courthouse square at 11:00, sponsored every year by First State Community Bank. Music fans will be in for a treat all day with live performances at Bauhaus Kaffee from 9:00 to 11:00, and The Vault is hosting more music in front of Long Memorial Hall from 11:30 to 3:00. Kids can hang out with special guest Diego and participate in activities by Parents as Teachers and the Farmington Public Library. Throw in a quilt show, sidewalk sales from some of your favorite downtown businesses, beautiful Missouri fall weather, and you get small town charm at it’s finest. Hope to see you there!

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Jody Mcdowell is a crafter and artist from Farmington, Missouri with a passion for photography, local history, and treasure hunting for vintage supplies. Learn more by visiting her blog and Etsy shop, Peach Parlor.

I took a bit of time after picking apples to photograph the amazing pumpkins at Eckert’s. These photos were all taken with my Blackberry Storm, so forgive the quality and appreciate the pumpkins!

Itsy Bitsy Pumpkins, photo by smalltowngirl

Pumkin Pile, photo by smalltowngirl

Stack 'O Pumpkins, photo by smalltowngirl

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Getting Funky in the Apple Orchard

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