Pumpkins have become such a huge part of Halloween and harvest season in the US that we don’t often question this odd tradition. Why is it that come October many of us flock to our local pumpkin patch, select the perfect pumpkin to carve, and then leave it on our front porch with a candle inside to greet guests?

The origin of Jack-o-lanterns and pumpkin carvings is found in the Irish festival Samhain. The celebration welcomed the dark of winter and bid ado to the harvest season at the end of summer. Folktales passed on from generation to generation told stories of dark fairy spirits that came around and settled into homes and houses along their routes of passage. Townspeople would carve faces into turnips and places candles inside, leaving them on their doorsteps as warnings to these fairies not to enter their homes.

While pumpkins are a far cry from your average turnip, they were more accessible to early Irish settlers who made their way to America in the mid 1800’s. Now you can find pumpkins in all shapes and sizes in every store come September.

Western Chief recently had a fun day out on one of our local pumpkin patches, Mosby Farms. We were even surprised by how muddy our boots were by the time we got out of there! A pumpkin patch was the perfect place to take some photos of our awesome rain boots doing what they do best: keeping your feet dry, warm, and mud-free!