Carve it, bake it or shoot it from a catapult; it's pumpkin season.
The Farmer in the Dell Pumpkin Patch opened Saturday for its fourth season. Along with 69-cents per pound pumpkins, the Pumpkin Patch offers 50-cent snacks and gourds, as well as dollar Baby Jacks, or miniature pumpkins, and drinks.
"Lots of college students come on dates here," said owner and Auburn graduate Mark Foshee. "We don't charge to get in. You can choose what you want to do."
Foshee said when the patch first started, it was a pumpkin field and a bale of hay.
Now there is a mountain of hay to climb and more activities for visitors.
The pumpkin patch is three and a half acres of hand-planted rows 300 feet long. The field is lined with woods and a large sunflower field.
"We actually get a lot of people out here," Foshee said. "Lots of sorority and fraternity swap dates."
Auburn graduate Rob Hutchins brought his wife and 16-month-old son for its opening day.
"I like it," Hutchins said. "I just told my other son to bring his girlfriend. It's a cheap date--$3 hayride and beautiful pictures."
The Pumpkin Patch is open Monday through Friday in the morning for groups and from 3 p.m. until dark on Thursday and Friday. It's open Saturday from 9 a.m. until dark.
Foshee said after Oct. 17 the patch will be open every day except Sundays.
The hay ride travels around the outskirts of the field and through the woods, lasting about 15 minutes.
Sarah Stutler, senior in exercise science, said she is looking forward to going to the Pumpkin Patch.
"It sounds like a relaxing day and I can't wait to find a pumpkin to carve," Stutler said. "I love this time of year."
The Pumpkin Patch also features a hay bale mountain to climb and take pictures on, a trough of corn kernels for children to play with and a fenced-in chicken coop.
Foshee said in about two weeks the main attraction will be unveiled: the catapult.
"We're trying to take it slow building it," Foshee said. "I don't want to get hurt, and I don't want anyone else to get hurt."
The catapult will be about 9 feet tall and will be able to launch pumpkins weighing fewer than 10 pounds.
"We think it's going to be a big hit," Foshee said. "That's what we're going for."
There will be a $5 rate to use the catapult, and the pumpkin is included because of the catapult's weight limit.
"We usually just find places to throw pumpkins, like off balconies," Stutler said. "This catapult sounds awesome. I mean, pumpkin smashing? Awesome."
The Pumpkin Patch is a great place to find odd pumpkins for Auburn's annual pumpkin carving, Foshee said.
"There are oblong ones, lots of weird stuff out here," Foshee said. "Warts, frog skin, green ones and even white pumpkins."
Foshee said young families and couples are the main focus for business, and with so many things focused on horror and frights for Halloween, he wanted to introduce something different.
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