~~~Check out our FALL PHOTO GALLERY~~~

Hello and thank you for considering a trip to Holly Fork Pumpkin Patch~We would love to celebrate fall with your group…

 Holly Fork Pumpkin Patch in Barhamsville.  We wanted to let you know that we would love have your school, group or organization come and visit us!

Holly Fork Pumpkin Patch opens on The last Saturday in September @ 10:00 a.m.  We welcome groups! 

  The fee per is $6.00 child/group member. The cost for chaperones is $3.00 each- (teachers/school staff/bus driver attend at no charge).   Each paid student receives a small pumpkin to take home (they may pick these from the patch), a hay ride and includes an educational lesson.   You may chose a lesson about animal life/care - (We have chickens, pigs, horses, donkeys, sheep and rabbits at the farm). 

 The other choice is about the life cycle of a pumpkin. This will be a very family friendly patch (no scary stuff).  There will be hay rides, game area, a small corn maze, pumpkins, homemade jams, sweet potatoes, mums, a large covered picnic area and, of course, FUN!  If you are a teacher you receive a complimentary classroom pumpkin too!  Call or email me today, so we can schedule your group.

 **Remember you can add the JUMP PAD for each group member at a discounted rate of 3.75 per jumper ** 

* Your group will rotate through stations when you visit .. it will be fun and organized * we can provide you with a list of those stations upon your arrival   **Each station is apx. 15 minutes  in length

We book trips through the last Friday in November

Happy Fall,  

Your Farmers Stephanie & Michael Ripchick

On your field trip to Holly Fork Farm you will receive ONE of the two educational lessons , pick pumpkins, take a hayride, visit the corn maze, and explore all the things that fall has to offer!  Our patch includes a large, clean picnic area and handicap asses-sable port-a-jons for restroom use. Helpful employees will be on site during your visit and a certificate of insurance can also be provided to you as we are fully insured.   

• Educational lesson  choice one will include information on the life cycle of a pumpkin.  Students will meet in our covered educational area with pumpkins/gourds/pumpkin vine, etc.. to view and discuss. They will be presented with the life cycle and it will include the stages-seed, sprout, plant, flower, green pumpkin, and finally, orange pumpkin.  The seeds will be on hand for students to explore, pumpkins will be cut open we will discuss the parts of a pumpkin and that it has one of the longest growing season of any vegetable (120 days).  The blooms, vines, etc. will all also be on hand for students to explore and we will talk  about different types of pumpkins that we grow.  This station last approximately 15—20 minutes.. Students/chaperones/teachers may all ask questions at end of the lesson.   

                                                               OR

Educational lesson two will include animal adaptations of a chicken.  In this lesson chickens will be at the farm/on site.  The students will have the lesson by the coop and in the chicken area. The lesson will include much discussion that adaptation is the idea that animals/chickens have developed features to help them survive and thrive in the environment where they live.  For example, we will discuss the specific traits that help them survive in their environment.  One part of the discussion will be about chickens’ feet and that like the feet of other birds reveal much about their ecology and behavior.  They allow them to scratch, turn up leaves, dirt and find bugs/seeds to eat.  Their feet along with strong flexor tendons in their legs, allow chickens to perch on roosts, a behavior that protects the birds from predators.  We will be able to look at these traits as the chickens that are on hand at the farm will display some of the behaviors which will be very helpful in the learning process.  There will be discussion on weak and strong chickens and the pecking order of the hens. Another part of the discussion will be about a chicken’s beak and the highly efficient/lightweight digestive system that meets the needs of their high metabolism. Again, it will be very helpful to students that we have the chickens on hand so we can watch them peck, eat, etc. We will also stop by and have a small discussion about our pot bellied pigs and rabbits too.. and explore how they live.  This station will last 15 – 18 minutes.

** comfortable clothes/shoes are strongly encouraged

**we encourage & welcome-questions on our field study/tour

**your lesson will be tailored to your groups age level