Fall Frolic

PULLMAN - Dozens of wide-eyed children perused the pumpkin patch at the Eggert Family Organic Farm's fall festival Saturday, though not everyone who delighted in the plump orange gourds was a child.

Washington State University student Laurel Erdman, who was weighing pumpkins at the check-out stand, said she'd seen plenty of happy kids but "also, excited adults, too."

The 30-acre farm on the east side of the WSU campus is celebrating its first growing season, said Kyle Brown, a farm volunteer and WSU student majoring in organic agriculture systems.

Earning the organic agriculture degree involves working on the farm, Brown said. He and fellow Organic Agriculture Club member Alex Shih were selling slices and whole pumpkin pies at the festival to raise money for the group.

"It's kind of a conclusion for the growing season," Brown said of the festival, where children climbed on tractors parked nearby for that purpose, played in the dirt with toy tractors and had their faces painted by volunteers.

Three-year-old Lucille Weigley's hat, crocheted in orange with a green stem, matched the pumpkin she held as she waited in line at the scales. Her parents, Kelsey and Michael Weigley, arranged their pumpkins in Lucille's wagon, leaving room for their daughter and her special find.

"Should we make a pie out of your pumpkin, or should we make it a Jack-o-Lantern?" Kelsey Weigley asked?

"Jack-o-Lantern," Lucille said, without hesitation.

"No one so far that I've asked is making pie," Erdman said, from behind the scales.

Jordan Mele, 5, searched for the perfect pumpkin with her mother, Melissa Mele, and three sisters, including twin sister Taylor. Jordan chose her pumpkin " 'cause it was smooth."

Her plan, she said, was to take it home and paint a scary face on it.

Produce from the farm is sold at the Pullman Farmers Market on Wednesdays from late May through mid-October, said Suzanne Londeree, another organic agriculture student. Fall produce - including pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes, garlic, onions and kale - can also be purchased at the farm, located at the corner of Animal Sciences Road and Terre View Road, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays through October.

At the university's nearby Tukey Horticultural Orchard, at Terre View Drive and Airport Road, "U-pick" sales attracted a steady stream of fruit lovers to the apple orchard, where yellow delicious, red delicious and Rome apples were ready Saturday.

Asher Carbonneau, just shy of 2 years old, toddled through the orchard as he munched on an apple his mother, Kira Carbonneau, was pretty sure was a McIntosh.

"We're just having a fall day out," Kira Carbonneau said.

Tao Zeng and his 7-year-old son Kevin were at the orchard with friends, picking enough to make apple butter. It was their first visit to the orchard, they said.

Tukey Orchard will be open for apple picking from noon to 6 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays through October, with different apples available as they become ripe. Already-picked apples, plums and pears also are available.

The list of available fruit at Tukey Orchard is updated weekly at www.horticulture.wsu.edu/orchard/.

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Stone may be contacted at mstone@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2244. Follow her on Twitter @ MarysSchoolNews.