[Review] The Great Pumpkin Patch Review

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Halloween is quite possibly one of my favorite times of the year. To be honest it isn't all the scary masks or fun costumes... it's the simplest of things... pumpkins. In recent years I have watched as more traditional pumpkin patches gave way to lots full of inflatable rides. In some cases the rides outnumbered the actual pumpkins. So... here is a thread dedicated to those pumpkin patches that still have pumpkins... those places where a child can roam through row after row of the golden globes.

First up... Irvine Park Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Patch

Unfortunately my camera died so I only had a couple snapshots. This patch is located within Irvine Park (so there is a parking fee to enter the park). It is right next to both the pony rides, and the train. They have a free haunted house, lots of pumpkins, a tractor ride, and plenty of fun things to do for the kids. Like I said the camera died so all I have are some shots of the kids and a shot of the haybale maze










I would say if you are headed out to Irvine Park it is worth a visit. The pumpkins seemed a bit expensive and there wasn't a "huge" selection... but it is a good place to take Halloween Pictures. They also have a photo booth were you can take a family picture for $7.

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Re: The Great Pumpkin Patch Review

Tanaka Farms is more of an "experience" then anything else. It is a real working farm out in Irvine. Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch, Orange County CA

Possibly the most unique aspect is that the pumpkins are grown onsite. Some have already been removed from the vine... others you need to twist and take off the vine yourself! They have a large selection of pumpkins, literally pumpkins everywhere. Tractor ride was $5 a person but it takes you throughout the entire farm. There is a petting zoo and games by the produce stand. My personal "favorite" is the pumpkin cannon which was launching small pumpkins 300-400 yards!

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Here is the great "hay bale stack and pumpkin pile"

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Of course my personal favorite the Pumpkin Cannon


They also had a really easy corn maze for the kids






All in all well worth a trip. Free parking and free to get in if you are just walking in. They have group tours where you get a pumpkin with the tour... otherwise you pick a pumpkin and they charge you based on the weight. The produce stand sells fresh produce etc. It runs year round tours (see website). Per Tinkmomma the Strawberry tour alone is worth a trip!

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The majority of my shots have been from a local favorite... Pa's Pumpkin Patch
Pa's Pumpkin Patch | Pumpkins, Rides, Games & Fun for the Entire Family | Long Beach, California

This is the place for just about any kind of pumpkin you can think of. From the standard orange, white, small to large... all the way to the really bizarre ones... this place ROCKS! It also has face painting, pumpkin painting, pumpkin stencil carving. They also have the standard fair rides, games, petting zoo etc. Lots of fun. The following pictures were taken over multiple trips...

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Here are some of the "odd" things you find here








obviously not just your "average" pumpkin patch!

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They have a stencil carver and face/pumpkin painter onsite on the weekends

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Here's the face painting...

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And just for the fun of it here are a few "weird ones" I found at a local grocery outlet








If anyone has any other patches they favor, please post some pics... I LOVE Pumpkin Patches!

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So at work a co-worker told me about the Pumpkin Patch at Main Place Mall
The Pumpkin Factory - Riverside and Orange County Pumpkin Patch Located in Corona,| Main Place Mall, Westminister Mall & Yorba Lindal

It's right off the 22 just a short drive from work. After work this evening I took the family out there. It's more inflatables and rides then pumpkins but I still took a few snapshots.

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Another coworker mentioned a large patch out in La Mirada. Depending on the plans this weekend we might go see what it's like. As I said this is one of my favorite times of the year.

[Barbaraann]

Re: The Great Pumpkin Patch Review

When my grandson was as young as your children, we used to take him out on a weekend day to a Pumpkin patch in the Chicagoland area called Goebbert's. I have many photos of Sean sitting among the pumpkins. They had a camel ride, and pig races, and really good homemade goodies for sale. Your photos sparked good memories of those days.

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Re: The Great Pumpkin Patch Review

When my grandson was as young as your children, we used to take him out on a weekend day to a Pumpkin patch in the Chicagoland area called Goebbert's. I have many photos of Sean sitting among the pumpkins. They had a camel ride, and pig races, and really good homemade goodies for sale. Your photos sparked good memories of those days.

Camel ride... that sounds like fun... is that place still around?

[Barbaraann]

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We haven't been to Goebberts in many years. My grandson loved it when he was single digits, but now that he's 16, well he's the only grandson we have so we haven't been back in a long time. I live in Chicago and Goebberts is still there. Not sure about the camel rides or the pig races.

[NeverNeverland]

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Is Goebberts the one with the huge pumpkinhead on top of a silo?

[Barbaraann]

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Yes, that's Goebbert's. Years ago, it was the sight of a food drive held by WGN. So that was where I heard about it first, and after that we began taking our grandson there. We spent many glorious Fall days there.

[Barbaraann]

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These are old photos of they were taken years ago, at the above mentioned Goebbert's. Not quite sure I'm spelling it right.

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Those are adorable... looks like it was out "in the country". When I think of Chicago I think of the bustling city and everything that goes with it.