Autumn Wonderland

Autumn....ahhh, the sound of leaves crunching under your feet, geese squawking overhead , crisp clear cold air, and pumpkins everywhere. Instead of a winter wonderland, I think you could consider this time of year in Kansas an "Autumn Wonderland!"

To add to this natural entertainment a group of hardworking and industrious souls have taken tourism to new heights with their investments in creating corn mazes and pumpkin patches for us to enjoy. It seems a new one crops up every year somewhere in the state. One of my favorites is located in southwest Kansas near Sublette at the Steve Weidner farm. At one time he grew over 60 variety of pumpkins and squash! The highlight though is the trebuchet he built to catapult pumpkins and other squash over the priaire where they splatter everywhere much to the delight of onlookers.

Shannon and Grady Martin are an energetic couple who, besides raising four incredible kids, running the Stone Barn Mercantile, opening up four new lodging cabins called Stone Creek Cabins have also started operating a Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch! Oh, and Grady works on jet engines for his day job and runs a herd of cattle on the side and Shannon is a grant writer extraordinaire!

Thank goodness for people like them, the Weidner's and many others who enjoy the autumn season so much they want to enhance it even further for us to enjoy!

Come and Get Kansas-Now!

KE#36, WenDee Rowe LaPlant