Behold the Great Pumpkin

We’re all about family traditions, and one of our favourites is the annual pumpkin picking expedition. Sure, you can pick one up while you’re child-free at the grocery store or at the farmer’s market, but it’s a lot more fun when you include the kids and make an adventure out of it.

There is some great pumpkin picking to be had around Ottawa, including old faves like Saunders Farm out in Munster and Proulx Sugarbush in Cumberland. Both make great day trips if you’re craving the whole Halloween experience (think hay bale jumping and mazes and ghoulish fun!) but sometimes we like to keep it simple and do it old school.

We have a soft spot for a sweet little place called Foster’s. It’s a roadside stand attached to a pumpkin patch in the west end. No frills. No pony rides. No debit. There may not be much in the way of bells and whistles (think Portapotty), but it does have everything we need for the season: small pumpkins (50 cents) to giant ones (50-pounders for $9.00), pie pumpkins, straw bales, corn stalks, baskets of apples and jars of fresh honey. But the best thing about Foster’s is that the kids can wade into the field and choose their own pumpkins.

Before you go, heed some tips!