I want to share with you some of the exceptional places that I come across from time to time. These places are gems and not to be missed if you are in the area, or they could even be a destination. Most have a “garden thread” to them. “Places To Know” can be retail, restaurants, nurseries, and other. Whatever the place, expect the unusual.

You are probably familiar with picking your own blueberries at a blueberry farm, or picking your own strawberries at a farm stand, but have you heard of picking your own pumpkins out of a field-size pumpkin patch? That is exactly what Mike and Libby Pierce encourage you to do at their family pumpkin farm, Lavender Hill Pumpkins. Located in Fallbrook, California, Lavender Hill Pumpkins is within easy driving distance of San Diego, Riverside, and Los Angeles.

Mike Pierce and his family started growing their organic pumpkins in a serious way about 5 years ago, and the momentum continues. Nearly 3 dozen different types of pumpkin varieties are carefully started each year in June to July.  An empty fertile field nourished with well water, and lovingly tended to by the family quickly erupts into a maze of crazy vines, and eventually hundreds of pumpkins.

The Pierce Family endearingly name some of their prize pumpkins. These special pumpkins are set aside in a "museum gallery setting" for everyone to enjoy, and are eventually used for next year's seed starts and field of pumpkins. Lavender Hill Pumpkins has all types of pumpkins, and all sizes.

Every year, on the last weekend of September, Lavender Hill Pumpkins open up their artisan wood gates for every one's enjoyment. Lavender Hill Pumpkins is open every day this October, weekends 10am to 5pm, and weekdays 2pm -5pm. Special times are available by appointment for designers and special interest groups. Bright orange carts are available to walk the fields and collect your pumpkins. Reasonable prices are determined by the size of unique hose rings which straddle the girth of each pumpkin.

The afternoon I was there, with a dear friend and fellow pumpkin enthusiast, we happened upon a group of seasoned artists comfortably nestled under the trees, magically recreating beautiful pumpkins on their canvas.

Nothing says fall like pumpkins, and to see this mass of incredible pumpkins together is a visual euphoria whether you are an artist, gardener, pumpkin aficionado, passer by, or a lucky child anticipating Halloween. Or maybe I should say it another way, it is "all treat" and "no trick" at  Lavender Hill Pumpkins, 1509 East Mission Road, Fallbrook, California 92028, (tel) (760) 715-8495

Please share if you grow your own pumpkins. Please comment on where in your area you like to buy your fall pumpkins.