I have long been a fan of fall. Trees transforming into gold and amber colors, with brighter greens amidst reds and purples, along with the sharp contrast of dark evergreens standing tall. The trampled browns of foliage on the ground beneath, the soft morning frosts, and misty fogs lingering from the night before. It's a beautiful time of year made even better by a glutenous holiday; along with the addition of my favorite seasonal drink at Star Bucks, The Pumpkin Spice Latte.
When Ethan and I were dating, we often enjoyed snuggling in the swing next to my family's fire pit as we talked late into the night; yet, our family has grown so much since the year we met. So my pumpkin-obsessed, hoodie-loving-self was beyond excited this past October to celebrate fall with my 18 month old son, Aiden, and 1 month old daughter, Lily. I really wanted my toddler, who constantly said "Bun'nn" while pointing to the small pumpkins and gourds on our dining room table, to have the experience of going to a pumpkin farm.
Thankfully, the Guhl family of Sunshine Pumpkin Farms opened their farm up to American and European visitors alike a little over 25 years ago (Source). According to Kaiserslatern American, Herr Guhl opened his farm up because of the idea of a visiting American family staying in his home. They thought other Americans would love the chance to actually go to a pumpkin patch with their families to pick out their favorite pumpkin as is the tradition of many Stateside American families; and they were absolutely right.
Located in Gerhardsbrunn, the Guhl family farm is "open every Saturday and Sunday in October" with group tours available during the week by appointment only (Source). The pumpkin patch is located on the K-68 slightly before Gerhardsbrunn village, and there is parking available at the pumpkin patch and within the village. Though they offer hayrides at 2 and 3:30 pm on the weekends, we missed both opportunities by arriving at different times. We went with friends and parked in the village next to the Guhl family owned store, and enjoyed exploring the farm and seeing all of the animals before trekking to the patch.
It was a genuine rural farm experience with drizzling rain and stinky manure, but Aiden's curious exclamations of "dog, bear, or dog-bear" every time he saw a cow made it more than worth it. The friendly eyes of older cows and obnoxious jostling of the adolescents made it a fun walk. Long tongues constantly reached out for quick licks, reminding me of my younger home-schooled days of field trips in Indiana to visit farm animals and feed bison. We also observed horses, chickens, and pigs while on our way to the pumpkin patch.
We visited in late October, so once we reached the patch we ventured toward the back of the field where the pumpkins were less picked over. Aiden held my hand as he carefully walked among the vines and mounds of dirt, exuberantly pointing at all of the "Bun'nns" across our path. Ethan wore Lily in our Boba wrap, which kept her warm and safe from the rain. We had a blast picking out our giant, beautiful pumpkin at a great price (they are priced per kilograms, and we only paid 10 euro for our enormous prize). I took tons of photos and absolutely loved Aiden's excitement and that of our friends' kids.
We missed the hayride again and had to walk back to the village- this time carrying a huge pumpkin. (I recommend taking the size of the pumpkin and whether or not you plan on walking/riding into consideration for anyone planning to visit next year.) Once we made it back, we bought pumpkin bread treats and a loaf to take home with us from the store. Both were pretty tasty.
All in all, it was a wonderful family experience, and I highly recommend visiting Sunshine Pumpkin Farms for a couple hours of down to earth fun. As this is our last fall living in Germany, I hope next fall we are able to find such a family friendly location.
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