Floods of pumpkin-spice orders at coffee shops, loaded shelves of Halloween supplies, closets full of sweaters and large fields of pumpkins point to one thing: autumn is here.
Although the season brings various activities to the community, the seasonal events allow adults to embrace their inner childhood.
With teenagers taking over social media with posts of days spent at apple orchards, pumpkin patches and haunted houses, seasonal activities are in full action.
One local favorite has now become an expert at making fall appealing for all ages: Shady Knoll Farm in East Moline. The family farm not only offers the community a true feel of the farm experience, but also aims to create an atmosphere where visitors feel at home.
The Dennhardt family, owners of the Shady Knoll farm, has had significant success over the years with their establishment. With years of history, the family is celebrating Shady Knoll’s 35th annual pumpkin patch.
As a recent addition to the family after her marriage, Shelby Dennhardt has seen a lot of growth within the business. “I’ve noticed that a lot more of the younger generation loves to come out to the farm scene,” she said. “I think it reminds them of their childhood and the fun activities that come along with it.”
As students hit their teenage years it is difficult to keep these old holiday traditions on such a tight schedule. Senior Gena German still tries to find time in keeping old family traditions in the fall. “I think it’s difficult to carry traditions as a teenager because family members start going different directions, making it hard to coordinate when to get together,” German said.
However difficult it is for teens to fit the traditions in, many love the way participating in certain fall activities connects them to their family and childhood. “I still like taking part in fall activities that I enjoyed as a child because it reminds me of how carefree I was and when times weren’t as stressful,” German added.
Dennhardt believes that Shady Knoll Farm is unique because it allows different age groups to enjoy different aspects of the season. The little children love feeding the animals, while teenagers like taking pictures and picking out pumpkins. “The farm is beautiful and the farm’s backdrop allows for lots of photo ops, which I see students post all over their social media,” Dennhardt added.
As the fall season is in full swing, Shady Knoll Farm is ready for another successful year and has high hopes to bring the community’s childhood back on the farm. Dennhardt believes coming to the farm allows people to just enjoy the old feeling of “grandpa’s farm,” an authentic feeling which is rare nowadays.
