This year we were all set to brave the elements at Fall City Farms again, but changed at the last moment to head to Jubilee Farms. Yeah, the hippy farm. I could hardly contain myself. Until we got there and they had a TREBUCHET! (You might recall I've been a documented trebuchet nut since our European trip. (It's hard to find, but there's a pic buried there.))

We were off picking pumpkins and they fired off the first pumpkin. Darn. The only rule we had for the kids was they had to be able to lift the pumpkin. They're pretty strong when motivated.

We were on our way back and they fired off the second pumpkin. Damn. Tractors can go really fast on the pavement and they tend to send a steady stream of mud off their tires. Hint: Don't sit in the front of the trailer.

We hung around for a LONG time and they didn't fire off any pumpkins. Seriously? The animals made for good distractions, but pigs are scary smart and I swear they were thinking of Lilly sausage at one point.

So we got ready to head home and two guys started futzing about with the ropes. Could it be? Really? I got giddy. They needed guys to pull the rope so I grabbed on. They needed guys to pull the pin so I grabbed on. They needed kids to run and pick up the pieces so they could feed it to the pigs and I thought about pushing all those darn kids out of the way, but decided I didn't want to be the next rider on the trebuchet and held back.

I think we now have a new traditional pumpkin picking farm. I might even learn to like the hippies. (Not likely.)

(Oh, yeah. We picked pumpkins and played in the mud. There were pigs and horses and chickens and other stuff, but did I mention they had a trebuchet? And it really works? And I got to help fling a pumpkin?)

(And the video. Oh, the video.)