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Countryside Farms educates the youth
Stockton pumpkin patch celebrating 10th harvest
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IF YOU GO

• WHAT: Countryside Farms

• WHERE: 6666 E. Main St. Stockton

• DIRECTIONS: From Highway 99 north, take the Main Street exit and continue several miles east towards the Stockton East Water District (Countryside Farms is directly across the street).

• ADMISSION: $9 per child, $4.50 per adult (parent, chaperone, aide, etc.). No charge for teacher. Adults can also pay $9 that allows for them to pick pumpkin and take home a plant.

• INFORMATION: Call 209.943.1632 or log on to www.countrysidefarms.com. 

For those in search of the Great Pumpkin look no further than Countryside Farms.

Located east of Stockton, this place with the slogan “Sharing the Farm Experience with Children” is ideal for youngsters age 2 through 10.

Countryside Farms offers an educational experience, making it a great place for school field trips.

“Our program involve a series of hands-on activities that feature a three to four rotation of 20 minutes each,” according to the brochure.

The teaching level is age appropriate and those visiting will usually take time out and bring a packed lunch or purchase fresh goods and produce from the farm store.

Countryside Farms is equipped with a shaded picnic area and plenty of pumpkins, pumpkins, cornstalks and more cornstalks.

Children, for fun, can enjoy riding the horse swing, circle swing or the bounce house. They can also take a hayride tour along the walnut orchard while learn about the old days of harvesting and the modern way, as well.

This year marks the 10th year of harvest at Countryside Farms.

The farm stations for this time of year include:

• FARM YARD PLAY AREA – Youngsters can visit and feed “Bella” the dwarf-pygmy goat or “Curly” the Angora goat. The petting corral allows for them to hold, brush or feed the younger farm animals. “Knickers” and “Dewey” are the name of the two quarter horses while “Penny,” “Peony,” “Pansy,” “Petunia,” “Poppy,” and “Posey” are the six laying hens. Children can view the place from above in the “Fort,” tumble into the Lima Bean Pole, or tussle in the Tee-Pee Tunnel and the haystacks.

• PLANTING / SOIL STATION – Where else can youngsters learn about the different types of soil and see what it takes for plants to grow? They’ll have a chance to plant their own seeds in a take-home container.

• PUMPKINS & TORTILLA CORN – Kids can learn how pumpkins corn or how corn becomes corn. From there, they can take turn cranking the corn Sheller and grind corn into corn meal.

 All stations are staff by an adult farm employee. Those attending are urged to dress for a day on the farm, meaning, sandals, high heels, or flip flops are discouraged.