lovecreek

Hill Country SUN

Fall for fun at Love Creek Orchards
Pack up the kids, grab your jacket and head for the Hill Country for the Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch at Love Creek Orchards in Medina every Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in October.
The annual celebration has delighted young and old for 15 years. “We have literally watched children grow up,” says Genie Strickland, event organizer. “Families have made this a tradition and we are excited to see them from year to year.”
Since 1994, Medina’s Love Creek Orchards has opened for fun during the fall harvest at the Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch. Designed with small children in mind, one goal of the pumpkin patch is to educate attendees about agriculture.
“I was shocked when I conducted my first apple orchard tour for a school group and realized most young children thought apples and pumpkins came from H.E.B.” says Genie. “I knew then how lucky I was to have grown up in the country. Baxter Adams, then owner of Love Creek Orchards, agreed, and we started the pumpkin patch to share the country experience with children.”
Hayrides, scarecrow building, apple orchard tours, a barnyard of farm animals to pet, story telling, sing–a–longs and a chance for kids to play in the Great Hill Country Symphony make for a fun-filled family day. A hay bale maze and hay stack play ground, tours of the apple processing plant and cider making are also available. And there are pony rides, sand art, face painting and pumpkin painting, available for an additional fee, plus plenty of photo opportunities throughout the pumpkin patch.
Come for the day, bring a picnic lunch or enjoy food offered by vendors. Love Creek also sells their famous apple ice cream, tarts, turnovers and homemade cookies from the bakery at The Apple Store just up the street.
New owners of the Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch and The Apple Store, Bryan and Staci Hutzler, are hosting the event for the third year. Each year they add a new attraction.
“Last year we added Native American Indian Dancers, the well-known Eagle Horse Brothers,”explains Bryan. “The young boys share their Native American culture and dancing with the children. In addition, this year they will make corn husk dolls and offer tours of the tepee.”
And let’s not forget the pumpkins. Love Creek offers a variety to purchase, including fairytale, Rambo’s, blue pumpkins, white caspers, Cinderella’s, One too Many, World of Color, Big Macs, Lakota’s and piles of jack-o-lanterns in various shapes and sizes.
Every type of squash, gourd, and dried cord is available. And you can make a centerpiece or yard decorations authentic with bales of hay or corn stalks dried from the field. Fresh Texas apples and persimmons will also be available for purchase.
FYI • The Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch is at Love Creek Orchards on Highway 16 in Medina. The pumpkin patch is open to the public every Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in October from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for kids 12 and under. Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops receive a special Pumpkin Patch badge when troops complete the apple orchard tour. For more information, call 830-589-2202 or visit the web site at www.lovecreekorchards.com. The pumpkin patch will be closed Halloween day. Birthday parties at the Pumpkin Patch can be arranged by contacting Genie Strickland at 210-215-1995. The Pumpkin Patch opens for school tours by reservation Thursdays and Fridays through October. For school tour reservations, call 830-796-2588.

Photo opportunities and family fun abound at the Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch this month at Medina’s Love Creek Orchards. Definitely worth the drive.
Photo courtesy Love Creek Orchards.

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