THUNDER BAY- Family, friends, and food are highlighting this year’s annual Pumpkin Festival.
Gammondale Farm celebrated the colourful fall season on Thanksgiving Day with dozens of families for the farm’s 22nd Pumpkinfest.
Owner Sue Gammond said Pumpkinfest was created for families so they have an opportunity to do fun fall activities together.
“When you look around almost everybody here is with their family and friends,” Gammond said.
“It’s something that gets you out of town, and you get to do something like pet a horse, go for a walk in the woods and ride on a wagon, just have fun and eat lots of good food.”
Families had the opportunity to participate in more than 20 fall-inspired activities geared toward children ages three to eight, such as Canada’s largest pumpkin catapult, pumpkin train, and pumpkin sling shots.
Gammond said Pumpkinfest is all about pumpkins, fall, the harvest, food, and knowing a little about where it comes from.
I think it’s important to know where your food comes from,” she said. "It gives you an appreciation of how hard it is to grow food, and how dependent we are on sunshine, fresh air, soil, and rain.”
Gammond said the farm is the largest grower of squash and pumpkins in northwestern Ontario, growing between 12 to 15 acres each season.
“If we took all this food to the grocery stores in the city, it would only last about four days, so what would you do it you wanted squash one of those other days,” she said.
“The scope and the magnitude of the food we eat is so great, and it’s hard for all of us to grasp that.”
Gammond hopes that Pumpkinfest allows children to do something they could not do at home, such as pet the animals and fire off the corn canon.
As for the parents, Gammond hopes they enjoy the time spent with their kids.
