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Time for pumpkins! Here are 5 pumpkin patches you can visit this October

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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Though there isn’t quite a chill in the air just yet, the leaves are hinting at the start of change and technically, fall is here. So you know what that means. It’s pumpkin patch time!

Once again, FresYes has rounded up a list of five awesome local pumpkin patches for you to enjoy this October. Read on for details.

five pumpkin patches

1. Pumpkin King

Located on the northwest corner of Blackstone and Shaw in Fresno, Pumpkin King is a pop-up patch smack dab in the middle of Fresno offering a wide variety of pumpkins, squash, corn, and corn husks for sale, plus pony rides, shaved ice, fall photos, bounce houses, and a hay bale maze. Parking is ample and admission is free. Pumpkins range in price from $3-$25. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Owner of Dale Bros. Coffee Melanie Unguez says, “We like taking [our son] to Pumpkin King on Shaw and Blackstone because they offer photo shoots. For something like $40, they have an area where they will take pictures of your kiddo and then give you a disc of all the pics.” 

What makes Pumpkin King even more special is the patch’s long-standing commitment to helping fill the need for blood donations for local hospitals. Each year, Pumpkin King hosts the Great Pumpkin Blood Drive and offers free pumpkins to donors. This year, you can donate blood on any Sunday between the hours of 10 a.m. at 6 p.m. at Pumpkin King and as a thank you, receive a t-shirt, pumpkin, slice of pizza, soda, and free admission to the bounce house!

2. Planet Pumpkin

Many are familiar with the large pop-up pumpkin patch that is located at Nees and First in Fresno. This year, the patch will be known as Planet Pumpkin, and will offer rides, shaved ice, food, face painting, photo booths and, of course, lots and lots of pumpkins. Planet Pumpkin will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Halloween.

five pumpkin patches

12-year-old Brandon and his 3-year-old sister Lilly having fun at Planet Pumpkin (photo courtesy of the Castaneda family)

3. Hillcrest Farms

Located in Reedley, Hillcrest Farms offers a wooded wonderland of family fun with pumpkins, steam trains, hay rides, concessions, nature trails, and play areas. Of all the patches, this is the one I hear touted most often as a favorite.

“They have everything for kids of all ages! Train rides, hayrides, a corn maze, eats and drinks, and of course some amazing pumpkins from all of the pumpkin families!” says Visalia resident Shari Charron.

Hillcrest has an entry fee of $10 per car except on the weekend of Oct. 28-29, when the fee will be $5. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Their treehouse party area is available with advance reservation.

five pumpkin patches

10-month-old Annella and 2-year-old Josiah enjoy Hillcrest Farms (photo courtesy of the Hermosilla family)

five pumpkin patches

4. Simonian Farms 

Located in eastern Fresno, Simonian Farms offers old-fashioned fun with their year-round ice cream and retro soda shop, shooting gallery, and gold-panning area.

During the month of October, Simonian offers a pumpkin patch complete with Halloween costume accessories gift shop, a haunted house, and hay bale maze. Entrance is free, and while you’re there, you can also stock up on locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as artisan-made jams, jellies, wines, and candies. My family went to this patch last year, and had a really nice time. Simonian Farms is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

five pumpkin patches

5. Hunter Farms 

Gaining steam and quickly becoming a highly-praised favorite among Fresnans is Atwater’s Hunter Farms. Hunter Farms began operating its pumpkin patch in the fall of 2013, and each year since its attractions have increased and their popularity has grown.

Hunter offers pumpkins, both a corn and hay maze, fall photos, a petting zoo, a hay pyramid for climbing, a trike track, a tractor train ride that takes passengers through historical scenes, simulated gold mining, and a “barnyard bounce” (giant, outdoor bouncing surface).

Open daily from 10 a.m. until dusk, Hunter Farms is sure to delight guests both young and old. And, with reasonable pricing, including an unlimited attraction wristband for $10, families will likely return year after year.

Take a Drive to Reedley and Discover What Community is All About

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Craig Scharton

I’m a weirdo. I’m a downtown revitalization, old neighborhood, old houses weirdo.

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I recently spent a wonderful Friday morning in Reedley. Opting for the slightly slower route into town from Fresno, I took Highway 180 and then heading south on Reed Avenue. This is a scenic entrance through orchards with views of the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Reedley community

I met my friend Nicole Zieba, Reedley’s City Manager, for a tour and an overview. Nicole is a great booster for this city of 24,000 residents. She is very proud of how well all of the community works together. The City partners with the school district and Reedley College, and Nicole highlighted a few efforts that exemplified their cooperative nature.

The City of Reedley worked with the school district to build new headquarters in downtown. They also worked together to build a compressed natural gas (CNG) facility to reduce costs for fleet vehicles while also reducing emissions for the Valley’s air quality.

Reedley’s airport and Reedley College have embarked on a cutting-edge electric aviation program. Electric planes will be used to teach new pilots. Charging stations will be set up around the Central Valley, and Reedley College students will learn how to maintain and repair the planes. The program is so forward-thinking, they have gained attention from around the world, including from NASA!

Reedley community

City manager Nicole Zieba at CNG Station

Nicole also showed me the trail that encircles most of the city, the very active sports park, and the City-operated parks along the Kings River. We drove through neighborhoods filled with beautifully restored historic homes that look like they are made for the movies. Reedley is also committed to mixed-income neighborhoods with beautiful Fresno Housing Authority developments.

Reedley community

Downtown Reedley’s Pioneer Park

Reedley community

Reedley has a trail that encircles the city

But as you know by now, I’m a downtown guy, so I spent the rest of my time walking through their charming businesses talking with delightful and Reedley-proud businesses and customers. Reedley still has a great collection of historic buildings in its downtown, further evidence of the City’s pride in its heritage. Reedley voters even turned away a Super Wal-Mart and other big box stores to protect their small-town charm.

Reedley community

E & D’s barber shop window

The Reedley Opera House is the home of the River City Theater Co. and is one of the core attractions to downtown. It features live theater and is located in a City-owned and -maintained 1903 historic building. It’s on my Central Valley bucket list to finally see a show there.

Reedley community

Reedley Opera House

Reedley community

Downtown Reedley

Downtown Reedley still has many locally owned shops and services, which is a rarity these days. They have Pro-Script Pharmacy, Kings River Tractor, a hardware store called Reedley Lumber, and their newspaper, the Reedley Exponent, is located right on the main drag. They still support a downtown, locally owned shoe store called Sam’s Shoes. Sam’s is run by the fourth generation owner Eric Parichan, and it’s been in the same building since 1914! They sell shoes for the whole family.

There are plenty of fun places for good food, drink, and sweets, too. The Pub has a modest storefront, but once you walk inside, it is a gorgeous interior with artwork and cool lighting, and the woodwork on the ceiling is incredible. Mainstreet Café was hopping when I stopped in and met the owner, Angie Friend. Valentino’s looks like a classic, casual Italian restaurant that you might see on the East Coast. Uncle Harry’s is an Armenian restaurant located in an historic red brick corner building.

Reedley community

The Pub

Reedley community

Uncle Harry’s Armenian food

Sweet Destination is a relatively new business that features homemade candies and also sells sweets from the Porterville chocolatier called Stafford’s. They have locally made pastries from Dinuba Home Economics teacher Martha Macias, and they also sell locally made wreaths and child-sized rocking chairs. Shelly Henderson is the owner and she showed me around the store with great pride. She’s a retired teacher and was playing with a little girl in their toy section when I walked in. This place is worth a visit to downtown Reedley with your kids or grandkids!

Reedley community

Sweet Destination owner Shelly Henderson

Reedley community

Another main feature in downtown Reedley is the Mennonite Quilt Center. On the ground floor of their building is a quilting store that also teaches classes. Upstairs is a quilt museum and gallery showcasing quilts. Community members make quilts that are sold to raise money for humanitarian efforts around the world. This year is the 50th anniversary of their quilt auction and the event will be held in Fresno at Fresno Pacific University on April 7th and 8th. Anyone who makes or appreciates quilts needs to come to downtown Reedley to see this place.

Reedley community

Mennonite Quilt Center

Reedley community

Reedley is a special place and you can feel their spirit of community; it is evident everywhere. I encourage people from around the Central Valley to come for a visit, to take a break from the stress of life and explore for yourself. As I wrapped up my day, I met with Denny Mason, who is a photographer and is filling in as the Reedley Downtown Association leader. She encouraged me to invite all of you to their many upcoming events!

P.S. I met the owners of Hillcrest Train Station Shops while they were having lunch at Mainstreet Café. I regret that I didn’t make it out there on this trip, but they’re worthy of their own FresYes blog post at a later date. These folks build scale model trains that you can ride on a 15” gauge track around the farm. They even make trains for amusement parks. Follow the link above to get a better idea about what they’re up to.

Candy, toys and conversation make new shop in Reedley a ‘Sweet Destination’

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Kendra Gilbert

Writer at FresYes.com
Kendra Gilbert is a writer born and raised in Clovis. She has written for publications from Boston to Los Angeles and loves writing about fashion and people most of all. The abbreviated list of things she enjoys outside of writing includes: thrifting, photography, harmonica, beer, movies, hiking and skee ball.
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Move over Willy Wonka, there’s a new sweet shop in town. In downtown Reedley, to be exact. And its owners, a husband and wife whose sweet dispositions rival the candied confections they sell, hope you’ll make the trip — no golden ticket needed — to their very Sweet Destination. But, if the promise of candy and chocolate isn’t enough to get you to drive from Fresno to Reedley, there are countless other features about this new local shop that might.

sweet-destination

For instance, coffee. And tea. This is Mike’s area. He serves up hot cups of Fresno-based Lanna Coffee and Hanford’s L.T. Sue Co. tea starting at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday. Customers are encouraged to sit and enjoy their hot drinks at tables made from old street signs (part of the destination theme) clustered in the front of the shop.

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The candy and chocolates make up only a portion of the treats sold at Sweet Destination. Hand-made pastries, locally-sourced nuts and granolas, and speciality popcorns are also for sale, displayed in vintage fixtures and props, making for a fun shopping experience, while showcasing a bit of history. And that’s still just half of Shelly’s — wife to Mike and Sweet Destination visionary — dream. The other half is toys: namely retro-inspired (and battery-free) American-made toys.

But, perhaps the sweetest part about Sweet Destination — and likely its most special feature, and the thing that will keep people coming to Reedley — are the conversations they’re bound to have with Mike and Shelly. Married for 39 years, the couple retired on the same day back in May so that they could finally make the dream of a candy and toy shop a reality. And the store is as much for the customer to enjoy as it is for the couple to meet and chat with the people who stop by.

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Sweet Destination is also offering some seasonal sweetness right now in the form of custom Christmas wish lists, and by allowing children to drop off their letters to Santa for the chance to win a special treat.

Here, Mike and Shelly Henderson talk about what it’s like to finally open the shop after many years of dreaming and planning; why they are busier now in retirement than they were in their previous careers; and why a shop selling candy and toys was a no brainer.

Sweet Destination is located at 1115 G Street, Reedley, Calif.; 559-977-6600.

Fleurie Flower Studio: Local flowers grown with love

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Kendra Gilbert

Writer at FresYes.com
Kendra Gilbert is a writer born and raised in Clovis. She has written for publications from Boston to Los Angeles and loves writing about fashion and people most of all. The abbreviated list of things she enjoys outside of writing includes: thrifting, photography, harmonica, beer, movies, hiking and skee ball.
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Fleurie Flower Studio

Flowers and love go hand in hand. They are given out by the dozen on Valentine’s Day and carried in bunches down the aisles of countless weddings. But before they can take center stage in a grand display of affection, they must be grown. And that takes a love all its own. No flowers are given more love than those grown in the garden of Laurie Garza.

Garza grew up in the garden, following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother. From day one, she had her hands in the dirt, she says. By age 20, she had designed flowers for her first wedding. And six years ago, she opened her own floral design business, Fleurie Flower Studio. You could say that her career in the flower business has really blossomed. What’s truly special about the arrangements Garza is making these days for brides and events across the Central Valley, is that the flowers come from Garza’s home garden in Reedley. Adding in blooms sourced first from California and American growers, she whips up some truly spectacular arrangements.

Today, Garza is busier than ever, but still spends as much time as she can either in her garden or her studio. It’s no surprise that people love her flowers, because Garza loves her flowers. And that shows in each and every arrangement she makes. The downside to all this love? It often makes the flowers hard to part with. Here, Garza talks about her inherited love of gardening, why the business of arranging flowers is personal for her, and explains what she does during the cold winter months.

5 Fun, Family-friendly Things to Do: Holiday Edition!

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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I would like to begin this post with a small disclaimer – YES, I know this is going up before Thanksgiving has taken place, and for that, I am sorry – I too love Thanksgiving and sharing a delicious meal with family. Last year, I shared with you my best tips (so far) for hosting a stress-free (or at least minimally stress-inducing) holiday. My hope is that that post will help at least a few people have a more pleasant holiday each year. Speaking of pleasant holidays however – there are five really fantastic holiday events happening in and near Fresno, and the dates are rapidly approaching, so given that I am a planner and know others who are as well, I wanted to be sure you all had the heads up in advance (and hopefully in time to snag a good deal on the one event that has an admission cost).

Christmas lights in Fresno

Here are 5 fun family-friendly events to enjoy with your family this 2015 holiday season, in date order (Each is linked for your convenience, click through for additional information):

(NEW) Global Winter Wonderland (Tulare Fairgrounds) November 21st through January 23rd, beginning at 4:30pm

What to expect: This large-scale traveling event offers visitors a holiday carnival atmosphere complete with massive, sparkling, fully-lit displays of cultural landmarks from all around the world. Explore the pyramids, drink hot cocoa by Big Ben, and take selfies by a castle, it’s all beautifully lit and enchanting. You can also enjoy performances and foods from around the world as well as ride up to 30 carnival rides.

Who’d enjoy it most: Parents and relatives with young children who typically enjoy holiday light displays, or older children who enjoy rides. Families who like learning about different cultures. Anyone who likes holiday lights, but is frustrated with the traffic on Christmas Tree Lane and Cindy Lane.

Cost: This event is not super affordable without discounts, however, there are some really great discounts available right now! (Hence my urgency in getting this post up asap for you). Check out my price break breakdown:

  • Admission is $16 for adults, $12 for children 3 and up. However, if you sign up to use Living Social, you can purchase a pair of admission tickets right now for $24, saving you $8 on two adult admissions. (Wait, it gets better.)
  • Ride wristbands are $25 if you buy online and $30 at the gate (individual ride tickets are $1.50 and each ride is 3-5 tickets, whereas the wristband allows for unlimited rides). Right now, you can snag a pair of admission tickets and wristbands for $49 on Living Social here, and if you use the promo code 20thanks, you’ll get an additional 20% off. Still with me? Want to save even more?
  • Sign up for an ebates account and you’ll also get 6% cashback on your total order. (If you don’t use ebates, but you buy things online, you should start using it asap. Basically, all you do is sign up for a free account, then when you’re going to purchase something, go to ebates.com first, then type in the store/website you want to buy from and it will say “opening new shopping trip” and take you to the site you asked for. Make a purchase as you normally would, and ebates will automatically deposit a rebate into your account. You’ll get a check or PayPal deposit back every three months. Using it just for the last month, I’ve earned over $150 in rebates! Sign up here.)
  • By using Living Social, the promo code (expires on the 26th!) and ebates, you’ll get tickets and wristbands for $56 off full price.
  • Coupons are also available at local Walgreens stores (I’m not sure the exact value of the coupons at this time, but it’s worth asking.)

Christmas Tree Lane Walk Nights (Fresno/Fig Garden Village) – Wednesday, December 2nd, Tuesday, December 8th from 6-10pm

What to expect: A fun night of walking down Christmas Tree Lane on Van Ness Boulevard, starting either from Figarden Village or Gazebo Gardens, enjoying light displays, Christmas music, people in festive attire and dogs in sweaters or wearing light up antlers, a chance to meet Santa and see police officers on horses, all without having to worry about vehicle traffic, as the street is closed to cars on these two evenings.

Who’d enjoy it most: Children and adults who enjoy looking at the light displays, those that value tradition and doing the Christmas Tree Lane walk each year, people who enjoy activities in which it’s totally fine to bring your dogs to, people who aren’t bothered by crowds, people who are able to walk a few miles on flat ground.

Cost: None. (Unless you want to eat/get a hot drink prior to your walk at Gazebo Gardens or in Fig Garden Village) Donations are collected near when Santa greets the children, so please consider bringing a few dollars in cash to support Christmas Tree Lane. The donations support all of the work and lights that go into decorating the lane for visitors to enjoy each year.

Santa with kids

Electrical Farm Equipment Parade (Downtown Reedley) – Thursday, December 3rd at 7:30pm

What to expect: A cavalcade of heavy farm equipment, decorated to the nines with lights and holiday trimmings, motoring down the streets of Downtown Reedley. There will also be shopping, food and entertainment leading up to the parade, beginning at 5:30pm.

Who’d enjoy it most: Children who love big trucks, vehicles, tractors, etc., those who love traditions that feel a bit more small town, like a taste of true Americana, just about anyone probably.

Cost: None, unless you wish to shop/purchase food.

Downtown Fresno Parade

The 86th Annual Downtown Fresno Christmas Parade (Downtown Fresno) – Saturday, December 5th at 10:45am

What to expect: A great, traditional Christmas parade, circling Downtown Fresno landmarks and featuring floats, music and entertainment reflecting this year’s theme: Christmas Around the World.

Who’d enjoy it most: Children and adults alike – anyone who enjoys a really fun, festive parade, marching bands, experiencing the best of Downtown Fresno with a community of excited Christmas enthusiasts.

Cost: None.

The Clovis Children’s Electrical Christmas Parade (Old Town Clovis) – Saturday, December 5th at 6:30pm

What to expect: Decorated floats, marching bands, riders on horseback, carolers, glittery lit displays and decorated cars. This is a much-loved annual tradition.

Who’d enjoy it most: Parade fans, young children, those who live in Clovis or enjoy visiting Old Town Clovis.

Cost: None. (Supported by the Old Town Kiwanis)

Places to Go: Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch

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Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch

At the beginning of the month, I posted about Single Palm Pumpkin Patch, a wonderful family attraction on the far West side of Fresno. For those of you located closer to the Eastern parts of the city, you may enjoy making the short drive to Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch in Reedley, CA, a lovely, family-run, seasonal treasure. Hillcrest, now it its 54th year of operation is located in a heavily-wooded (yet easy enough to find) area of Reedley, and offers picturesque outdoor exploration for the whole family to enjoy.

Hillcrest will delight with a pumpkin patch throughout October and a Christmas tree farm in December. A unique offering of Hillcrest is a beautiful half-scale steam engine train which takes visitors on a 15 minute ride around the farm. During October, Hillcrest is open on weekends from 10am – 5pm, is admission free, and offers visitors a nature trail and play house to explore, $4 train rides, $2 hay rides, snow cones and hot concessions including much-famed corn dogs. Class field trips are also available, and include a pumpkin for each child, hayride, story time and use of the nature trails, playhouse and picnic areas for just $6 per child. Interested teachers should contact Hillcrest at 559-638-2762.

If you enjoy pumpkin hunting at Hillcrest this month, you’ll definitely want to mark your calendars for the Pajama Christmas event in December in which Hillcrest will remain open after dark and offer moonlit train rides, holiday music and lights, fresh baked cookies and a hot cocoa bar to enjoy around fire pits. All guests are encouraged to wear their comfy and cozy pajamas for this special family event. Tickets are sold in advance to ensure groups aren’t too big to make the event enjoyable, so if you’re interested – be sure to snag your tickets well in advance. This event is quite popular.

Hillcrest map