Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch

Where: 9057 Ute Hwy  Longmont, CO 80503 (303) 684-0087

Web: www.rockymtnpumpkinranch.com 
When: The October Pumpkin Festival is on weekends in October, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Select activities also available M-F, 9a.m.-5p.m.

October in Longmont isn't complete without at least one visit to the Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch. On Saturdays and Sundays, this Highway 66 spot offers carnival rides, petting zoos, pony rides, bouncy play structures, corn mazes ... and oh yeah, a whole lot of pumpkins. Pick out your perfect Jack O' Lantern, soak up the late fall sunshine and take in some gorgeous, unobstructed views of Longs Peak. The Pumpkin Ranch isn't slick, but it's a lot of fun. Admission is free, but you have to buy tickets for the rides.

During the week, the Pumpkin Ranch is operating at a much smaller scale, and for $7, kids can do all the activities that are open as much as they want. No petting zoo or rides, but plenty of bouncing and running through the hay maze. The market is open every day, so even if you don't have kids, it's a necessary trip if you want a fresh caramel apple or some tasty apple cider. During our last visit they were even roasting some wonderful Colorado green chilies.

Pigs & Pinot Farm Dinner

For the past year or two, Feast Supper Club has been throwing pop-up foodie gatherings in Longmont and beyond. Over the winter, the events could be anywhere from a house to a warehouse. In the growing season, however, Feast usually hosts farm dinners: elaborate and elegant meals set up among the crops of one of the many scenic farms in the area. This year's Pigs & Pinot farm dinner was hosted by the beautiful Pachamama Organic Farm which sits on the far western edge of rural Longmont.

Melissa and Tim, the folks behind Feast, have been near and dear to Longmont's culinary scene for years. Up until last year, they were running Terroir, a successful farm-to-table restaurant situated right downtown. When the lease ran up, the landlord had different ideas, and Melissa and Tim chose to close Terroir's doors. While they may have a brick-and-mortar again in the future, and here's hoping that it is in Longmont, for now we can catch a bite (or several mouthwatering courses) at one of these pop-up dinners.

The Pigs & Pinot farm dinner is, as you can imagine, a celebration of all things swine, from the passed hors d'ouevres at the start to dessert at the tail end of the evening (bacon caramel, anyone?) All the pork came from John Long in Eaton, and of course all the delicious produce came from the very fields we were sitting in at Pachamama. The pinot noir was imported from various Oregon wineries, and if something needs to be brought in from out of state, it is definitely the wine. All in all, a perfect meal.

Follow Feast Supper Club on Facebook so that you can stay up-to-date on future gatherings: https://www.facebook.com/FeastSupperClub

Learn more about Pachamama Organic Farm and sign up for their CSA!
http://pachamamafarm.com