***
BALLINGER – If they made a live-action version of a certain Charlie Brown Halloween movie, Linus would be sitting in Runnels County, in the largest pumpkin patch with a 100-mile area. That pumpkin patch is at the TLC Pumpkin Patch in Ballinger. And, It ain’t no backyard pumpkin patch.
The pumpkin patch is currently home to a dozen or so varieties of pumpkin growing on the almost 1,000 plants that were planted back in July, “We had that rain a few weeks ago and the pumpkins went wild,” Operations guru Jonathan Smith said.
Some of those 900+ plants have 4 or 5 pumpkins growing on them, “We’re going to have pumpkins for months,” Smith added with a chuckle.
You won’t find just pumpkins at the TLC Pumpkin Patch, located at 8701 US-67, just a stone’s throw south of Ballinger. Popular local eatery Trail Boss Burgers is also located there, dishing hot everything from flavorful burgers to corndogs hand battered as you watch them dip ‘em and fry ‘em.
But, more than the food, are the thousands of pumpkins to choose from.
Not just pumpkins grown there, but hundreds more are shipped in, including some metal art pumpkins and a myriad of other Halloween decorations.
The unique Old West town also has a sluice, where you can purchase a burlap sluice sack and pan for gold. Word on the street is that you will always find several cool objects in each sack, everything from turquoise to iron pyrite (fool’s gold). Families have fun as they gather around the sluice as they open their sacks, pour them in the sifter, dip the sifter in the water and shake, shake, shake.
If you want to step inside, there is an 8,000 square foot arcade with more prize ticket games than you can shake a stick at. The arcade also has a popular laser rifle arcade game. If you’re feeling snack’ish after a Trail Boss burger, there is an ice cream/soda fountain counter where you can satisfy the old sweet tooth with Texas’ own Bluebell ice cream!
Owner Kellie Book opened the place 6 years ago. Since then, her and Smith have been adding to it each year with Old West buildings and filling it with the truest sense of the pioneer spirit, “We want families to come here and have fun. They can pick out pumpkins, visit the pumpkin patch, play games, eat great food, buy some of our custom metal art, and mom and dad can shop for antiques here if they want.”
There is something for the littles as well, “We have a train that Jonathan pulls with the tractor that the kids can ride on. He’ll give out train rides all day if there are children wanting to get onboard,” Book added with a laugh.
If that wasn’t enough, there are some exotic animals. Darby the Baboon has his own television that he watches every day. There is Hank the giant Tortoise and a Black Caiman (South American alligator-type creature), as well as the usual barnyard animals from chickens to goats.
If you have a hankering to pet the goats, there is a petting zoo that families can go into. Feed is sold at the front counter if you decide to visit the critters.
A haunted house is also in the works.
That fun is going on every day. They are open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday they open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We have a lot of people come by after church on Sundays,” Book said.
Tickets to get into the Old West Town/Pumpkin Patch are $5, but there is more than just shopping, games, and pumpkins; much more, “We usually have live music every Friday and Saturday. If you buy a ticket to come in during the day, it’s good for the live music as well. We’ve had people come in and bring their kids during the day, then come back in the evening for some live music and cold beverages. We bring some popular acts out here from all over,” Smith said.
The fall temperatures and all-around fun are attracting visitors by the hundreds each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They are also open 3p – 9p Mon-Thur.
Get out and have some fun in the Old West and find you that perfect Jack-o’-lantern pumpkin, or pick out one of the GIANT pumpkins, some weighing almost 200-pounds!
If you have any questions before you saddle up and head over, you can give them a ring at (800) 278-1898 or (325) 269-3013. They are located next to the John Deere house on the highway.
[Story, photos by Bill Hancock]
