INSIDE
◆
Plenty of options for kids to be involved in for fall fun, Page 2B.
◆
A backyard pond can make for a relaxing outside
experience, Page 3B.
Fall offers many options for a colorful landscape,
Page 5B.
◆
Section B
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011
www.woodburnindependent.com
COOL
DECORATIONS
Autumn Harvest provides all the fall decorations one needs
for a party, wedding or family get-together
BY JASON HORTON
opened
F
all
is
when
the
leaves
turn
different colors, temperatures
begin
to
drop
and
special
events are planned.
For
Dylan
busy
season.
and
Darren
Wells, co-owners of Autumn Harvest, it
marks
their
The
brothers
grow large pumpkins as well as an array
of
miniature
products
such
the
door
for
them
every Safeway in Oregon.
Woodburn Independent
as
gourds,
“We started the online store two years
ago, and in the past we really hadn’t had
a
wedding
planner
clientele,”
Dylan said. “We put a coffee can out on
are wedding planners or brides-to-be.”
Darren said the mini pumpkins are per“We have a little white pumpkin called
boo’
wedding
and
es
fee can.”
The
business
started
growing
yearly
after that. More pumpkins were planted
and
then
another
farmer
told
“ We
Dylan
kind
started
of
that
buy
said.
them
“They
for
are
face
painting,”
perfect
for
them.”
The Indian corn, Dylan
is
a
popular
fall
for
wreath
doors
said.
or
dows.
in
win-
The
getting
gourds
bigger
and bigger
and
45
the
grew
acres
o f f e r
u n i q u e
to
sizes
over
next
years.”
that.
they are perfect for painting and kids love
and hanging them on
sold them to different vendors,”
he
Obviously they are good decorations but
making
“We planted 15 acres and
for
“We get a lot of schools and business-
Dylan
said,
them of a need for miniatures.
popular
The small pumpkins are also great for
arts and crafts.
ing for us as kids to see money in the cof-
are
arraignments,”
tive candles in them.”
pumpkin. We’d get home from St. Luke
and see what was in the can. It was excit-
those
centerpiece
said. “People carve them out and put vo-
the back of the trunk and had people pay
what they thought would be OK for a
said.
probably 95 percent of our online sales
‘Baby
sold them out of a 1965 Chevy pickup,”
he
“That is a new niche that found us, and
fect for table centerpieces.
ed some jack-o-lantern pumpkins and we
into
they started selling online.
they were in grade school.
“It got started when our dad overplant-
sell
said their business really took off when
pumpkins and strawberry corn as well as
Indian corn and have been doing it since
to
Their product is seasonal, and Dylan
two
plement
and
shapes and com-
other
products
decorating tables or offices.
That growth allowed them to
for
pay for a processing line that waxed the
product,
giving
a
glossy
finish,
and
SEE DECORATIONS, PAGE 2A
JASON HORTON | WOODBURN INDEPENDENT
Indian corn (left) looks great as a fall wreath that can hang from a door or window.
It also works as a table decoration and when coupled with miniature pumpkins and
gourds (above), an ordinary table will be transformed into a unique look that is popular with weddings and fall parties.
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Page 2B
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Plenty for kids to do to make fall fun
Options are out there to keep children busy with rewarding projects
BY RACHEL CAVANAUGH
understand and there are a lot of bright colors.
You can get them involved by taking them to
Woodburn Independent
W
ith fall already upon us, there
are a number of fun projects to
do with children for the garden.
Whether
sitting
inside
making
yard art or going out on the porch to plant
bulbs, this time of year holds an abundance of
things to do with kids.
Mark Bigej, co-owner of Al’s Garden Cen-
ter in Woodburn, suggests creating planters or
centerpieces
focused
Parents
help
Thanksgiving themes.
can
on
Halloween
children,
for
and
example,
carve Halloween decorations out of squash
and place plants in them. People often use
pumpkins for this type of thing but he sug-
gests doing something different and using a
gourd. The final product can sit on the porch
the store and having them pick them out. It’s
something
to
be
excited
about
doing
right
now. Then they kind of forget about it for a
while. Then, all of a sudden spring’s here and
they’re getting to see their handiwork.”
For a project away from the house, chil-
dren
can
plant
bulbs
to
take
home
during
Kid’s Bulb Day at Al’s Garden Center on Oct.
8.
Or, if they want to do them together, the
bulbs can be a great weekend project with
parents.
Birdfeeders are another simple project to
do with children. They can be made out of
pinecone and peanut butter and rolled in bird
seed. When hung outside, children can watch
the birds come and eat while learning about
different species.
The feeders also make great gifts, Bigej
or hold house plants inside.
said.
gourd into a turkey and put a plant in it. Kids
5.
used as a centerpiece.
ties, which are held once a month, involves an
Another option is to shape a pumpkin or
can bring them to Thanksgiving dinner to be
Though both of these plant projects will
only be temporary, they serve as nice decorations for the days surrounding Halloween or
Thanksgiving.
Yard
idea,
he
art
is
said.
another
Children
fun
can
holiday-themed
make
witches,
ghosts, turkeys, pilgrims, or other icons and
place them in the lawn or garden.
Fall is a natural time for these types of pro-
jects because children are home from summer
camps and back in school, he said.
Outside the house, one fun idea is to plant
bulbs. Children love it because they see the
rewards for their work twice: First, when they
plant the bulbs and a second time when they
come up in spring.
Al’s hosts an All About Birds Day on Nov.
Each of Al’s Garden Center’s kids’ activi-
educational component as well as a craft project.
“On all of these projects they try to teach
them
something
about
gardening
but
also
give them something to go home with,” he
said.
In
general,
Bigej
recommends
parents
making a regular habit of gardening with their
children or doing garden-related projects.
“Gardening is a way for parents to interact
with the kids,” he said. “It just gives them another opportunity. You’re not sitting in front
of the TV or a video game or things like that.
It’s
one
on
one
time
with
the
teaches them a lot about nature.”
kids
and
DOUG BURKHARDT | WOODBURN INDEPENDENT
“Bulbs are a great thing with kids,” he said.
“They’re nice and easy. Easy for the kids to
it
Pumpkins are a great tool to use to get children involved in fall decorations. They
can be used for carving, painting or sculpting.
SEE ACTIVITIES, PAGE 4B
Peony & Iris Farm
BROOKS GARDENS
Hundreds of peony varieties available for sale.
Order Peonies for Fall Planting
6219 Topaz St NE, Brooks, OR 97305 (I-5 Exit 263)
503.393.7999 www.brooksgardens.com
From Woodburn, take 99E south to Topaz Street
JASON HORTON | WOODBURN INDEPENDENT
Darren (left) and Dylan Wells started their pumpkin business when they were in grade
school. The business has grown into a full-fledged decorative farm, with Safeway as one of
their biggest clients. They grow miniature pumpkins, gourds and strawberry corn (below) as
well as jack-o-lantern pumpkins and Indian corn (top).
Decorations: Miniatures not for eating
CONTINUED
FROM PAGE
2B
“They just kind of hang out
on a table but look good with
just
said.
about
anything,”
Dylan
He said that while all of the
miniature products, and Indian corn, are edible, he wouldn’t recommend it.
“People don’t buy them to
eat. They are edible, but there
isn’t
much
Dylan said.
Autumn
largest
taste
miniature
Oregon,
to
Harvest
Dylan
them,”
is
supplier
said,
the
in
and
added with their online store
bowls,” he said.
clients who order from him.
quests.”
York
products
he is surprised by the different
“We
had
order
a
chef
in
miniature
New
pump-
kins from us because he needed
them
for
pumpkin
soup
“We
A
get
a
lot
complete
can
of
list
be
odd
of
re-
their
found
at
w w w. a u t u m n h a r v e s t p u m p kins.com.