Fun at the Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch

It's fall. It's October. If you have kids, off you go to a pumpkin patch. We went to Goebbert's. It's big, commercialized, dusty (they don't believe in paved roads), and lots of fun. There is a pig race (my favorite), a camel ride with a complaining camel, you can feed carrots to a giraffe, lots various animals to see and touch (skunk anyone?), a pumpkin-crushing dinosaur (kids all-time favorite), a train ride (with an enormous line), and even a haunted house (which I completely avoided and chose to look at cute little piglets huddled around their enormous mama instead). There is also a well-stocked and strategically located gift shop with apples and pies and all kinds of fall decor. In the right weather, you can spend a whole day there. Just dress in layers and preferably rubber boots that you can just hose off later. And if you're so inclined to pick your own pumpkins, you can. They provide you with a huge orange wagon just for that purpose. I saw a guy hauling a pumpkin the size of a microwave oven. All they're missing is a country food restaurant with full service. And paved roads.
Swine Derby. Goebbert's Farm.
Place your bets, the swine derby is about to begin!
They must be bred for racing, because they were on the small and agile side.
Swine Derby. Goebbert's Farm.
Off they go! Their goal is an apple donut placed at the end of the run. 
Exotic animals demonstration. Goebbert's Farm.
The only time it's safe to pet a skunk. Apparently they make great pets (it's kind of like a cat, liter box and all) once they're descented, but I told Danny not to get any ideas.
Exotic animals demonstration. Goebbert's Farm.
Unlike a skunk, this little guy does not know how to properly use a bathroom and prefers to poop all over his keeper. And he has a personality of a hyper-active two year old.
Pumpkin-eating dino. Goebbert's Farm.
I'm pretty sure this is a kids all time favorite. A pumpkin-eating dinosaur. You can pet his head and ask him to eat a pumpkin. He's very polite and a clean eater. 
Camel ride. Goebbert's Farm.
Camel ride. This was a two-hump camel. I avoided this experience this year, but Danny already told me that next year all three of us will be riding a camel. 
Goebbert's Farm.
Such a pretty pheasant! One can design a whole fall collection just off the colors of this bird. Or if you're Sarah Jessica Parker, put it on your head. 
Goebbert's Farm.
Parakeet feeding. It's a large cage (human size) where you enter at your own risk and feed the pretty birds. The ones that don't want to eat hide out in the corner. 
Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch
Or if you're brave enough (and have a hat) you can put the seed stick on your head and wait for a bird to land on you. They grace you with poop on the way out (but it's considered good luck). The humans provide you with wipes and a huge vat of hand sanitizer. 
Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch
42W813 Peinking Road
Hampshire, Illinois 60140
847 464 5952