*there are ZERO affiliate links here—we want to promote some great, smaller businesses, with no reward but our joy in sharing something fun.
In this fun post, we’ll introduce our two new pets (rabbits) and some of the hard working people who own small farms/ranches and also run Pumpkin Patches (where we got our new pets). Our society undervalues, perhaps even looks down on farmers and ranchers especially those who own smaller farms. These people love the soil and love the livestock they raise. Some know their animals by name. Often these smaller farms differ from the massive factory farms where the crops are soaked in synthetic amendments (unnatural fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide). Massive factory-style ranches force-feed the animals food unnatural to their native diet (such as forcing cows to eat mostly corn instead of grass). These factory style farms crush the animals together in unnatural, unhygienic metal fences or cages, and some animals see little or no daylight.
The owners of the smaller farms love their animals and crops and provide them with a more native habitat. As you can guess these farms are also kinder to the environment.
But I want to talk about the farmers themselves. They personally take their produce and meat to smaller markets, like farmer’s markets, or they offer produce that is sent to people’s homes in boxes. Some ranchers have co-ops where people pay to “co-own” live stock, and they get to receive milk or cheese from a dairy cow for example.
These same farmers often run the smaller pumpkin patches we see in our neighborhoods. We discovered this in October (2022), when we noticed Yelp reviews for different pumpkin patches in our city. We knew the biggest pumpkin patch had become extremely expensive. We happily discovered Mr. Jones’ Pumpkin Patch (Torrance). At the bigger patch, it would have cost $45 for the three of us to enter the patch and then enter the petting zoo. But we three gals got to enter the pumpkin patch for free, and then we entered the petting zoo for $15. What a savings!
But what really impressed us was the kindness of the family running the pumpkin patch. The official owner is Trevor. Since this is a website “by gals, for gals,” I will introduce his mom, Debbie (yes, another Debbie). She said they also run a Christmas tree lot. She talked about her concerns for her live stock, such as cows who kept escaping, and the sadness after having a “certain” person steal her cows one time when they got out of their pen. The cows were never returned. Farmers (and ranchers) who run pumpkin patches may have petting zoos, but they often have other live stock at the farm (ranch) who do not come to the zoo. So the owners have to work long hours and commute back to the farm to care for the other live stock. Often families are involved to share the work, and many adult children grow up to love farming, (caring for the soil and animals).
Debbie knew all the animals in the petting zoo by name. This is how we learned about the rabbits. There had been an accident, and a male and female had gotten out and got together. An unexpected litter of baby rabbits ensued. As a result, Debbie had some extra rabbits needing a good home. My daughters had a sweet rabbit (a rescue), who lived to old age and died. It had been years since “Bunny-Bunny,” but my girls remembered him. So we decided to adopt a rabbit, and since there was a pair of females who looked like they were bonded, we took both.
Some people might judge Debbie for the rabbit “accident,” but having raised rabbits, I know they are extra clever and easily escape. Furthermore, a rabbit breeder told me a female pushed her bottom up against the bars to access a male in the next cage. She managed to get pregnant with a very persistent but also caged male. Many rescue organizations have all the rabbits spayed, but in Debbie’s case, she is a farmer/rancher, and they breed their live stock for events like petting zoos. I totally understand the accident, and Debbie was very caring with the little rabbits.
We love our new pets, and they are easy to care for (I raised rabbits when I was a child and as a young adult, so maybe the joy outweighs the work). Amy says she likes the fact our GIRL bunnies (hers is “Pippin”) help to out-number the males in the house (Dad and Lindsey’s Beta Fish are males, otherwise our pets are female). Lindsey says Daisy is very cute.
Debbie said that some people claim petting zoos are cruel, and all animals should be living in the house, as pets. But I can safely say no cow should live in a house, and goats would pull the food right off your table. Even in the olden days, farm animals, such as sheep (for wool) or dairy cows (for milk), always lived in the barn, and they led happy, long lives. I do not respect the abuse of animals, but on these small farms, the animals are not abused. They are not shot up with synthetics like growth hormone that forces cows and other animals to grow up prematurely fast and (in dairy cows) causes pain in the udder. The animals on small farms are not force-fed antibiotics to make them unnaturally large. Animals on these small farms get to wander in their pastures, and like Debbie said, occasionally they do escape. But good neighbors help by calling the ranchers so they can get the animals back in their pastures.
From the very beginning, God called people to care for plants and animals. For example, in Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” In Exodus 23:12, “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest.” And also in Exodus 23:4-5, “If you meet your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray , you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of the one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.” (Sadly the neighbors did not respect this precept when they stole Debbie’s stray cows). And, when God was chastising Jonah for not caring about the people of Ninevah, God said, “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh.. and also many animals?” Jonah 4:11. God was even concerned for the animals.
Throughout the Old Testament, we learn how to care for live stock, and many of these modern small farmers/ranchers remind me of the Old Testament farmers and ranchers. For example, Proverbs 12:10 says, “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,” and Deut. 25:4 says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain.” That ox should be allowed to munch while he is working.
As you can imagine, I love to support small businesses, especially farmers and ranchers. These people often work very long, hard hours. They have to get up very early, and when emergencies happen, stay up late. It was fun to visit Mr. Jones’s Pumpkin Patch, and we plan to return too, since they also have jump houses. Gaining two new bunnies was just an unexpected bonus.
Thanks for sharing this post. I sometimes write about very heavy but important topics, but we just got the bunnies. I wanted to share something playful, yet also supportive of the farmers and ranchers. Check the Yelp reviews in your city, since there may be some smaller pumpkin patches in your area. Smaller pumpkin patches can be great. May the Lord bless you this fall with joy, despite the cooler and shorter days. May God also bless your spirit and soul, because these darker days can bring a heavy spirit to the soul. I pray the Lord would bring you joy instead.