Friday, Nov. 14, 2008

Family Pumpkin Picking at Nash Farm in Grapevine

Christianne Young

Staff Writer

Where do pumpkins originate? Hint for the little ones: Not at the grocery store. This year, try Nash Farm in Grapevine as a source for locally grown pumpkins.

Families are invited to the vintage Grapevine farm at 626 Ball St. on Nov. 19 from 4 to 5:30 p.m., for a Thanksgiving pumpkin picking. You can also go for a hayride on a tractor-pulled wagon and enjoy a delicious cup of hot chocolate. If you’re planning to make your own homemade pumpkin pie, you are invited to stay for a crust making lesson. Pumpkin pie is an American Thanksgiving tradition dating as far back as 1796 when Amelia Simmons wrote her American Cookery, which included a recipe for pumpkin pudding baked in a crust, according to a Nash Farm news release.

In 1859, Thomas Jefferson Nash purchased 110 acres of farmland in Grapevine, according to the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau website. Nash and his family lived on the farm. The family’s first home was a log cabin, but this was replaced by a two-story home about 1880. In 1905, the family built a barn near the home. Corn, wheat and cotton were grown on the farm, and the family raised cattle, hogs, sheep, horses, oxen and chickens. The original house, barn and family cemetery lie on the remaining 5.2 acres of the farm. The farm is owned by the Grapevine Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit entity.

The pumpkin picking event is free, though donations are accepted and are used to help maintain the farm. For details, call 817-410-3558.