Rainy Weekend Dampens Belvedere Opening

Belvedere Plantation’s annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival opened Saturday morning to gloomy skies and rain in the forecast.  For once, the weatherman was right.  Despite the warnings, Big Red was set up and ready to go.

We actually saw a little blue sky about noon and for a couple of hours, it was nice and a few people started coming in.  Then the skies opened about 4:00 and washed out all of Saturday night’s activities.  Sunday was much the same only it started about 3:00 pm.  Over two inches of rain fell during the two days turning the plantation into a muddy mess.

For my new readers, Belvedere Plantation is a 645 acre organic farm on the Rappahannock River near Fredericksburg and one of my favorite venues.  Big Red will be there the whole month of October.  Belvedere has a strawberry festival in May and pumpkins in October.  For the fall festival, there are all sorts of activities and fun for all ages. It was great to see Donnie and his family again, plus some of the kids that worked there last year.  Steve, Linda, Billy and TJ’s Catering crew are also there and since they’re almost like family to Peggy and me, it  was great to be back with them.

Since the rain kept down the crowds this weekend, I had the chance to take a few pictures.  I probably won’t have the chance later in the season as it gets so busy, we don’t stop for hours at a time.  To give you a good look at Belvedere, click on the Flickr thing on the right side and when that comes up, click on the Belvedere Plantation set.  Then just set your mouse on the small right picture and click.  That will bring up the picture and its comment.  Click on the next small one, and that will show you the next picture.  And so on.

Big Red is in a different location this year.  Last year we were right near the entrance to the hayrides but our long lines caused a traffic jam during peak periods.  This year, we’re down in the bottom across from the Fun Barn between the Pumpkin Mountain Slide and an inflatable thingy where kids get up on stands and beat the crap out of each other with sticks. (See pictures)  We’re also closer to the Pig Races, the entrance to the Maize Maze, the track,  all of the animals, the Scarecrow Workshop and the entertainment.  The Pumpkin Mountain Slide is kind of like the slide I did in Jamaica a couple of years ago where you crawl in at the top, fly down a tube for over three stories, and it throws you out into the middle of the Caribbean.  This weekend. Belvedere’s threw the kids into a mud puddle.  But that was OK for them.

Other than the rain, there were a couple of problems.  Peggy kept trying to milk a calf so she could have fresh cream for her coffee.  I finally had to point out to her that, “He is only two weeks old. . . with an emphasis on HE!”  I think she finally got it.

Then there was the Escapee and the John Deere.  Escapees are those little ones between 18 months and about three years old who, probably on a farm for the first time, take off running excitidly leaving parents behind.  One of those tried to take off with a John Deere.  I was cheering him on, of course.  (See picture)

I also caught one of the pig races.  I picked  the red guy but he turned around and ran in the wrong direction.  A flashback to my betting days with much the same outcome.

The Fun Barn has swinging ropes and piles of hay and stacks of bales.  A great place for the kids to romp in the hay.  I asked Peggy if she wanted to slip into the barn for a romp in the hay and she looked at me and sighed, “At your age (60), you’re way to old for that.”  She promply arranged a hot date for Friday night.  (See pics)

If you’ve never been to Belvedere Plantation, plan a trip this year.  It is a wonderful place and great fun for all ages.  You can get more information on their website, Belvedereplantation.com.

Other than Belvedere, Peggy and I had a pretty good day at the auction on Friday but Tank was rained out at Amelia on Saturday.  This week is tough.  Tank and the boys are gone for paintballing so aren’t available.  Peggy and I will work the auction on Friday, then she and Laura will work Belvedere from the tent on Friday night and Saturday.  Big Red and I will be at JMU for a game Saturday afternoon.  Jean will be coming up to help.  Then I go back  to Fredericksburg and set up Big Red for Sunday.  I was supposed to do the Jefferson Forest homecoming Friday night but that got moved to Saturday because last week’s game was moved to Monday due to the rain, and there is no way. I haven’t figured out how to be in three places at the same time.

See you at Belvedere.