Fall is a festive, fun, and cozy season, and luckily social-distanced fall activities are available to enjoy it. One particularly popular fall festivity is going to pumpkin patches.

Pumpkin patches offer a multitude of enjoyments such as mazes, photo ops, festive decor, and of course pumpkin picking.

Even amidst the current pandemic, this outdoor fall experience is permitted in different Bay Area locations as long as people wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Many NDB students have already seized this opportunity and visited various pumpkin patches open and have been sharing photos of them at pumpkin patches to instagram and other social media feeds making autumn apparent.

Senior Annica Kim shared with The Catalyst her experience at Farmer John’s Pumpkin Farm in Half Moon Bay.

“It was very good. There were quite a few people, but it was big enough that no one had to get too close to each other. It was good weather, very fun to be with some friends doing a little fall activity,” said Kim.

Farmer John’s Pumpkin Farm has been following proper COVID-19 guidelines in order to open safely. They are open 9am to 5pm daily until October 31st. There is free admission and parking, and they even allow people to bring their dogs or cats if they are well mannered and on a leash.

“My experience [at Farmer John’s Pumpkin Farm] was really fun. I went with just two friends so we had a good time together,” said Finn. “The pumpkin patch is already really big, and there weren’t that many people there to begin with, but everyone had to wear their masks in the pumpkin patch. And the cashier was six feet apart and there was a glass pane between them and the customer. The precautions made it different, but I don’t think that made it any less fun.”

Webb Ranch, another popular site, also hosts an annual pumpkin patch.

“I had a good experience [at Webb Ranch]. There were not too many people there because I went when it was not busy. I went to the pumpkin patch with one of my best friends and we wore masks the whole time. I felt like the company did a really good job with keeping people safe,” said senior Hadley Stevick. “They had signs up telling people to wear masks the whole time and social distance. There were hay bales to separate different areas. It was different from normal, but I’m glad I got to go with my friend.”

In addition to visiting pumpkin patches, these students have also come up with other ways to enjoy the fall at home despite some things not being available due to COVID-19.

“I bought a lot of candles,” shares Finn, “I also bake a lot of cookies.”

At this point in time, some things that we may do all year round can be turned into customized activities that appreciate fall. For example, making pumpkin spice cookies rather than the usual chocolate chip. This can also just mean taking time to notice the leaves changing color as you smell your festive candles burning, or even carving the pumpkins you picked in preparation for Halloween.

“At my home we have all our Halloween decorations. Very fun. I’m planning to do some baking, maybe a pumpkin pie soon. I’m very excited,” Kim shared.

Getting in the fall spirit can be fun and easy even during a pandemic, especially when there are many activities that can be done at home. Buying fall scented candles and lighting them in the home can create a cozy atmosphere that makes the autumn months even more pleasant. Going outside and experiencing nature during the fall is another token of this time. Although the pandemic has made some activities impossible, there are still many ways to enjoy the fall.