Field Trip: Bianchis Flowers and Pumpkins

 

Where: Bianchi Flowers and Pumpkins (243 Butano Cutoff, Pescadero, CA 9406)
When : October
Who   : All ages
Cost   : $6/student to pick a small pumpkin

One of the perks of homeschooling in San Mateo county is our access to the coast just 30 minutes away. Though the coast draws crowds during events like Mavericks Surf Competition and Half Moon Bay Pumpkin and Art Festival, we can visit at other times and places to see where locals live and work. When a homeschooling friend on the coast mentioned Bianchi Flowers and Pumpkins as a 5th generation farm, we jumped at the chance to visit and hear from farmer Bridget about growing pumpkins. 

Bianchi's is a short drive from Pescadero downtown, so it is easily accessible. Parking is readily available besides the field. When you pull up, you'll see some tractors which make for great photo ops, as well as their pumpkin stand with loads of pumpkin and squash types. 

We had arranged to meet farmer Bridget at the stand. She started with the history of their farm - it was originally a cabbage farm started by her great grandparents, before transitioning to be a beans and flower farm. However, they had to diversify especially after NAFTA was signed in 1994 - flowers from South America flooded the market at pennies to the dollar, and it took them 1.5 years to clear their stock of strawflowers. They cut back their flower acreage, and added other crops like pumpkins and tomatoes. Diversification also helps with the unexpected - one year, their crop was wiped out by cucumber beetles. It reminded me of Laura Ingalls's story of locusts in "On the Banks of Plum Creek", and how one year's work could disappear in a couple of days.  It also explains why farmers have to be good savers. Still,  Bridget loves her work though it's hard and at times risky. 

One of Bianchi's distinctives is that you can pick pumpkins off the vine - after picking, people have come to her saying, "I never knew that pumpkin plants had fuzz/bristles!". She passed out paper bags and scissors, and the children eagerly grabbed wagons before heading out into the field to find the "perfect pumpkin".  A handy tip: Start from the back of the field and work your way back toward the entrance.

Along the way, we passed rows of sunflowers and corn flowers they had planted..

as well as rows upon rows of pumpkins in all sizes and colors. It was difficult to choose!

For those who have trouble choosing, there are deals where you can load up a wheelbarrow or wagon and pay a flat price. It can be as full as you make it - Bridget chuckled when she described a family wheeling their wagon back with children and adults making a human wall around it so no pumpkins would tumble off. 

We were also thrilled to see the tomato plants at the end of the field. They were bent over with the weight of ripe Early Girl tomatoes, and we quickly filled bags. For the record, they make excellent salad tomatoes and you can roast them for a gourmet tomato soup. 

Back at the stand, Bridget weighed our tomatoes, counted up our pumpkins and gave us generous prices on everything. She also answered questions about the types of pumpkins and squash at the stand, e.g. white pumpkins, Cinderella and sugar pies are great for baking.

Sugar pie

Carnival

Carver (Traditional)

Cinderella

Decorative gourds

Lunch Ladies (how unflattering!)

Minis/Bee bees

White

Spider

We enjoyed our visit and highly recommend Bianchis. Bridget is a treasure trove of information - students can learn so much from talking with her. Its quiet atmosphere also makes it suitable for families who want less stimulation. As a plus, it is also close to R&R Farms so families can stop by and pick late season berries.  How thankful we are for the Lord's provision!

Farming is a profession of hope - Brett Brian