Monday, December 23, 2013

Getting to Know Hawaii: Aloun Farms Pumpkin Patch


The Need to Knows:
  • The Aloun Farms Pumpkin Patch is located at 91-1440 Farrington Hwy, Kapolei, HI 96707 (helpful signs are posted along the way after the H1 exit).  It's exact location can be found here:
  • The patch is normally open almost every weekend in October from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, but be sure to check their website to make sure.
  • Admission is $2 per person (ages 2 and under are free).  They typically have one day labeled as a military appreciation day where all military I.D. cardholders can get in for free.
  • Small pumpkins will cost about $4 each, medium pumpkins around $6, large pumpkins $8, and giant pumpkins around $15 if I remember correctly.  Since pricing is liable to change every year, keep an eye out for signs with updated information at the event.  It is also CASH ONLY, but there are ATMs provided for you to use.
  • I would recommend wearing closed toe shoes since it gets pretty dusty when you're out in the fields choosing your pumpkin and also sunscreen since you'll be in the middle of a field most of the time.
  • It's also obviously a great kid-friendly experience -- just make sure your strollers can handle going over uneven, dusty terrain!


Beautiful views facing toward Honolulu and Diamond Head
I know I am completely late with this post with it being the middle of December and all, but I really wanted to at least do a recap of some pumpkin picking Mr. L and I did with some friends back in October!

Adorable friends of ours at the entrance to the patch
You may be surprised to learn that although Hawaii never gets a true "fall" season, we do still have pumpkin patches, which is totally awesome!  As far as I know, Aloun Farms is the only farm on Oahu that has actual grown-in-the-ground pumpkins that you can choose and cut yourself.  There are other patches, but they bring in the pumpkins from elsewhere and set them in a field for you to pick, which wasn't exactly my idea of a true pumpkin patch.  To each their own, though!



While the farm's main attraction is the pumpkin picking, there are also a ton of other activities to partake in, especially if you bring your kids.  There are rides, games, yummy food, live music, and a hayride as well as pick-your-own sweet corn, string bean, kabocha (an Asian variety of winter squash), and sunflowers.  You could easily make an afternoon out of your trip here and have a lot of fun while doing it.

Pretty neat rock wall!
One of the games they had set up -- looked like fun!
Sunflower field
We visited the farm on its second open weekend in the early afternoon, and although there were a lot of people around, it didn't feel too crowded, at least to me.  After a quick snack of some delicious Ewa sweet corn (so good!), we made our way into the patch and picked out our pumpkins.  And of course by we, I mean the boys did the harvesting and the girls did the ordering around while we checked out the scenery!  :)

Searching for the perfect pumpkin
I loved how pretty it was here!
My beautiful friend and her pumpkin!  :)
Mr. L with our pumpkins!
We didn't stay for too long after because we intended on getting back to the house and watching a Halloween movie before bedtime (Sunday night meant work in the morning!), but when we got back, we decided to just dive in and start carving our newly purchased pumpkins.  Because what else are you going to do right after choosing the perfect pumpkins besides making fabulously carved works of art?!

Our pumpkins -- Jack Skellington, Frankenpumpkin, Drunken Sailor, and Pumpkin Pi!
Unfortunately they just didn't last long at all -- two or three days tops before mold completely sabotaged them.  That's what we get for living in Hawaii, though.  There's got to be a downside, I suppose!  Plus we'll always have the pictures, haha.

Do you enjoy visiting a pumpkin patch during the fall?

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