COLORADO SPRINGS — Venetucci Farm is continuing their decades-old pumpkin giveaway for thousands of elementary school students.''
It's a frantic, and wondrous tradition dating back to the 1950's.
"Pumpkin-picking is so full of suspense," said Christopher Aaby, executive director for the Catamount Institute.
More than 2,000 kids will get take a pumpkin home.
The only catch is they have to pick it themselves, and be able to carry it back on their own.
"They go full-speed, some go right for the first pumpkin they see," Aaby described.
"Others can take a long time to decide what is the perfect pumpkin for them."
To make sure the fun took place this year, the Catamount Institute and Pikes Peak Community Foundation purchased 2,200 pumpkins from Milberger Farms in Pueblo, bringing them up to Colorado Springs at no cost for kids on field trips.
"It's something really special that kids will remember forever," Aaby pointed out.
And it's been a fall staple for Renee Kehr back since her children were doing the picking.
"They came out here every year with their class," she recalled.
Today, she's back with her granddaughter Brooklyn Towers, proudly showing off her "Gourd-geous" find!
"I picked it out, and I couldn't find anything like this one," Towers said as she held up her pumpkin.
"So I picked this one. It kind of looks like a fat ball."
It's a cherished moment Kehr didn't know she'd have.
"Never, not in a million years. This is such a blessing."
But one she hopes future generations will enjoy.
"It's these traditions that make life so special," she emphasized.
The field trip is also an educational opportunity for kids to connect with the outdoors and learn about what it's like to be on a farm.
If you'd like your child's school to participate, you just need to ask a teacher to call the Catamount Institute and book a field trip. There's still a handful of spots left.
You can call them at 719-471-0910.
