Oh, the irony of it all!

You may recall that three years ago, Young's Farm held its final pumpkin-picking fall festival before signing papers for its Dewey acreage with a major developer (M3). All thanks to a cockamamie statute which would trim back water rights (and resultant value) each year the land was used for agriculture, from 2006 forward.

Fast forward three years. A special event permit will allow Peter's Pumpkin Patch to open its vines to the public for picking the great orange squash, now through November 1. Location: the former site of Young's Farm in Dewey-Humboldt. Oh yes, there's also an eight-acre corn maze. And a hay ride. Sound familiar?

What's going on, you might ask. For starters, the developer and the new town city fathers of Dewey-Humboldt disagreed about plans for the big property at SR69 and SR169. Frequently. And so any major plans stalled even as the current real estate bust took hold. As a result, most of the Young's buildings are gone but nothing has replaced them.

In the meantime, caretakers have been farming the land, while the Young family is happily transplanted to a spread in water-rich Oregon, and Windmill Farms up in Chino Valley has staked out the fall festival venue as its turf. Go figure.

Picture credits: pumpkin on the ground courtesy of my next door neighbors, the wagon load from the Farmer's Market, and grocery store displays from Safeway and New Frontiers.

Punkin carvin' time

Albertson's certainly let everybody know that October is the time to buy your pumpkin. Look at the size of certain of those overgrown squash, will ya? I'm impressed. However, not enough to plan on carving one; I haven't done that since I was a little girl. When the dotter was of the appropriate age, her Evanston grandmother not only took charge of the jack o'lantern operation, but also baked yummy pies with the inards.

Albertson's also was selling decals the day I went shopping -- a cop-out if ever I saw one. Besides, with no holes in the rind, there's no reason for a candle. But then, what would be reason for the pumpkin in the first place? On the other hand, the special plastic pumpkins at Watters (below) can definitely be carved, tho I've no idea how well they would hold up to the heat of a candle inside.

Even without a scary face, the bright orange does make for neat displays, at homes (above) or in front of an downtown antiquery (below).

Of course, during October, pumpkin art abounds, whether flags (above) at JBs or a pair of objets along Cortez Street (below).

Far more upscale: this pair of art pumpkins in the window of Creative Interiors on Gurley.

However, there's a bittersweet taste in my mouth as I write about the rites of autumn. The picture above should remind us of years past at the Young's Farm pumpkin festival, which came to an sad end, thanks in part to the big housing bubble. Ironically, the Dewey-Humbolt folks still haven't figured out the zoning for the parcel that once was the farm and at this point in the business cycle, who knows when M3 might get around to breaking ground. If ever. The last time I heard any news, a farmer was renting the land to grow corn. Just like the Young family, but without a festival. Anybody been to the fall events on farms up in Chino?

Tractor Events

Despite all those new roofs and big box retailers, there is still a part of the Prescott area hanging on to its rural roots. Rather desperately, I would say. Be that as it may, the harvest end of the year is when rurality is celebrated, even by the city folk, who flock to fall events, such as the now defunct Young's Farm Pumpkin Festival and, of course, the county fair.

It's a time when farm equipment operators strut their stuff, with races and tractor pulls. I was never quite sure what this competition was at last year's Youngs Farm scene. However, it made great pictures.

These fellows are lined up for the tractor pull at this year's Yavapai County Fair. Don't know why farm equipment has to wait for late afternoon, but just look at those shadows!

As well as that yummy chili dog. Love that fair food!

Perhaps the end of the day is appropriate for a waning American lifestyle. Melancholy, those shadows, those empty spaces, those mountains.

Comment Note: Someone from the London School of Economics has just caught up with my post about Truly Nolen, the family owned & operated exterminating company which uses those cute little VWs with Mickey Mouse ears. He/she has a comment which fills in more about the Nolen family.

Synchronicity: Right after I posted about vanity license plates, an AP article on the subject appeared all over the place (be sure to scroll down!); in looking for a link, I also found Coolpl8tz, a site that collects the best.

We Miss You!

Halloween is almost here -- and no Young's Farm visit to celebrate the occasion. I can't even blame the roofs-and-retail boosters for the sad demise of a regional institution. No, blame this one on state law which progressively devalues farm land; theory is that rooftops use less water than crops. Could be. In this case, I simply don't care.

I wonder if the developers will really commit themselves to maintaining these huge willows. Takes water, you know. I'm sure they plan to build and run.

Of course I miss the wonderful sleaze of the Midway rides...

...and assorted sucker merchandise.

Wonder what the Mayer and Humboldt kids are doing for Christmas money this year?

Of course, the irony is that this past year the Young's Farm property has been used for, hold onto your hats, raising corn. Seems the Dewey-Humboldt city fathers still can't get their heads together on a plan for developing the property.

So what is a pumpkin-minded family to do this year? Head for Chino Valley, that's what. Windmill Farms is hoping to fill the big void left by Young's departure with its own pumpkin festival and has hired the person who managed Young's fair. Contrary to rumor, Colliers Family Farm (690 W. Road 5 South) is definitely offering pumpkin picking in the field, and according to one source, Freeman Farms (1096 E. Road 3 South) is also operating a public pumpkin patch.

My Blogroll Is Finally Up: After over a year, I finally pulled myself together to post a pretty complete list of blogs I regularly visit, over in the right hand column. And BTW, most of the Arizona bloggers that are listed are well north of Phoenix! In fact, all but a handful are from Prescott. But take a look at the other list; you'll meet some very special people from many parts of the world.

The Last Pumpkin

In our weird modern hi-tech world, farmers are too often hard put to earn a decent living. One answer: go into the tourism business; let big city kids and their parents experience a small, safe and sanitized taste of old-fashioned country living.

Thus was born the annual Young's Farm Pumpkin Festival. It's been a tradition with our family for several years, especially for the young one (above and over at OmegaMom's site.)

The corn fields are interlaced with pumpkin vines (and a few of those giant sunflowers I love); come October and harvest time, there's literally a pumpkin midway (above) for folk too weak, too old or too impatient to venture out into the fields (below.)

Above -- a huge sunflower in seed, ready for the birds.

And here, the granddaughter poses amid the pumpkins.

Local kids pick up tips acting as "Pumpkin Packers"; they tote prize selections for customers in wagons, wheel barrows and carts.

Other goodies from the farm: chile braids (above) and sized pumpkins, gourds and butternut squash (below.)


At departure time, folks are checked out and their pumpkins are priced. And there were crowds to handle!

Unfortunately, this is the last pumpkin festival at Young's; next weekend is the finale. The state's arcane water laws tilt in favor of the real estate developer vs. the farmer. The Young's have sold and next year -- more houses down in Dewey. Aren't we the lucky ones?

Rumors say that there may be less elaborate pumpkin events at an organic farm up in Chino Valley and another near Flagstaff in 2007.

Note: more to come -- there's a carnival side to the festival, too!