Early on the crisp fall morning of Oct. 23, 12 kids from Huntington Elementary gathered at the home of Jack and Judy Lang, of the Huntington Lions Club, to pick out their pumpkin for the upcoming Halloween holiday. The teachers who accompanied the classes were Joy Lynn Humphrey, Cathy Cowley and Laura Cox.
Christine Jensen, also of Huntington, welcomed the children and explained the process of growing pumpkins and the many different varieties the Lang’s grow in their garden.
Jack Lang then showed the children the different varieties so they could see the differences. Lang told them the Nathaniel is the best for baking and eating. He then showed them some of the smallest ones, the Jack Be Little’s. He said he had grown over 500 pumpkins this year.
Along the path to the garden behind the home, there were glow in the dark footprints for the kids to follow to the perfect picking spot. When they had reassembled, Lang said “Go” and the running and squealing began. Each of the children found the perfect pumpkin and were allowed to pick up a footprint on the path back to the yard. Deposited around the yard were bags of “pumpkin poop” for the kids to find.
When the pumpkins were picked and safely stashed, the kid were given rolls of toilet paper to make “mummies” of their teachers. The teachers were really good sports and cooperated in any way they could, even being wound in paper.
After a couple more games, Deputy Martin Wilson from the Emery County Sheriff’s Office came by to give the kids some pointers on staying safe for the holiday. Wilson reminded the kids never to go alone and to be finished with trick or treating before dark. He also stressed to the children always let their parents examine the candy before eating any.
Wilson explained that safe costumes are those that do not inhibit them from seeing or walking. He then told the kids to watch for cars and not to talk to strangers. Wilson then said it would be best if they let their parents carve the pumpkins for them so they wouldn’t have to handle knives. It would be even better just to paint a face on their pumpkins. Wilson then conducted the drawing for the big pumpkin prize and the winner was Sam Diamond.
Other children present were Stella Lofley, Sean Snow, Niki Christensen, Alexis Luna, Canino Leon, Colton Jensen, Alexander Jackson, Janel Brinkerhoff, Charlette Moosman, Halen Ungerman, and Michael Hales.
The Great Pumpkin Search
