Fall Destinations

Oh My Gourd

Words & Photos | Lily Fleming

Each year on September 22, the equinox marks the first day of fall. It is not long after that before “spooky season” rolls around. This time of year is full of an endless list of traditions. Just some of these traditions include: Halloween, scary ambiences, cooler weather, warmer attire, baked goods, bright trees, crunchy leaves and pumpkins. All things pumpkin. Customs with this squash are lighthearted and familiar, something jovial to look forward to for many, especially through all the chaos and monotony that life can bring. But how did these traditions start? What started this cultural love and enjoyment of pumpkins? For thousands of years, indigenous North Americans have grown pumpkins, even before the cultivation of beans and corn. More recently, but still hundreds of years ago, the Irish began carving jacko-lanterns from potatoes. When they migrated to North America, they switched to pumpkins.

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1: Rows, columns, fields, buckets of pumpkins can be found at Iowa Orchard for sale. As stated by the Economic Research Service, in 2020, 6 lbs per person of pumpkins were grown in America. That is over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins produced.

2: Lurking, or possibly sleeping between boxes, hay stacks and pumpkins, the black cat pictured can be found at Iowa Orchard. Its presence at a fall activity is notably appropriate as black cats are commonly associated with Halloween, October and the season of autumn. The origin stems from cultural tradition: in medieval Spain black cats were considered bringers of bad luck or even a curse. The cat photographed, however, is obviously too cute to be considered evil. 3: Pictured is the entrance of Iowa Orchard in Urbandale, Iowa. The smaller pumpkin patch poses boundless opportunities for fall traditions. Inside, customers can purchase apple cider, apples, a wide selection of homemade pies and other baked goods. The orchard is open from 9am-6pm all week except Monday. 4: Alongside columns of pumpkins for sale, red wagons, and a black cat, buckets upon buckets of mini gourds for sale inhabit the fields of Iowa Orchard. Gourds are from the cucurbits family, a plant family consisting of about 965 species. As shown in the photo, they come in exceptionally unique shapes and colors. 5: The sun overlooks a pumpkin field at Iowa Orchard, getting ready to set. The patch’s clear view of the western sky permits it to be an ideal destination for fall sunsets. During this time of year, weather patterns propel dry, clean Canadian air into our country, further enabling more vibrant sunsets, as our eyes are not seeing through as many dust particles.