Pumpkin Patches

 The dry summer has taken a toll on the fall apple crop in Wisconsin, but pumpkins are bigger and better than usual! I took a short drive south of Madison to the Eplegaarden Apple Orchard in Fitchburg, WI. They had one of the most impressive pumpkin crops I've seen in a long time.

Pick your own apple signage at Eplegaarden.

The raspberry patch and one section of the apple orchard.

In this barn, you can purchase apples and excellent, fresh-pressed apple cider.

The orchard is presently owned by Vern and Betty Forest, but the Epleaarden started out as an old norweigan farm. When you visit the orchard, you can take a look at the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Barn that commemorates the state's 150th year of statehood.

The highlight of our trip to the Eplegaarden was definitely scouting out MONSTROUS gourds in the pumpkin patch. Because the pumpkin crop was so good this year, the orchard has an awesome deal where if you buy two pumpkins, your third one is free! I bought three pumpkins (totaling over 125lbs!!!) and it cost less than $40. I'm really pumped to carve these guys in another week or so!

 The orchard also has a fleet of weathered Radio Flyers that patrons can use to haul their spoils in from the field. The pumpkin patch has plenty of orange pumpkins, cool-looking warty green pumpkins, and big white "ghost" pumpkins. Happy carving!

The Eplegaarden is located at:

2227 Fitchburg Road

Fitchburg, Wisconsin