Crisp autumn air tickles your apple colored nose as the smell of sweet, warm cider and burnt orange pumpkins surrounds you. Welcome to one of the countless Manhattan community’s fall interests: pumpkin patches.

In the Saturday afternoon sun, FFA members met up at Britt’s Farm to engage in relaxing — as well as exciting — entertainment.

“[The goal was] to have an event for the FFA chapter to get together,” senior Jacoby Kerr, FFA member, said. “Not necessarily at a state [or] district event.”

Club members participated in numerous activities, such as the traditional easy and hard corn mazes, the giant slides that make your stomach drop and a petting zoo — complete with goats, chickens and the occasional donkey. Other fun included the epic potato cannon, enormous jumping pillows — huge trampoline cushions, similar to an inflatable jump house — and a squeaky teeter-totter. 

“Spending time with the club [was fun],” junior Tessarae Harris, FFA vice president, said. “[My favorite part was] definitely the jumping pillows.”

After each picked out their very own pumpkin, the group traveled back to the school to carve them into jack o’ lanterns and devour mountains of pizza. The club members were in for a delightful surprise upon their return, as their club sponsor — who is currently on maternity leave — was able to attend the event.

“[Elissa] Mullinix came for the pumpkin carving at the end,” senior Chanae Parker, FFA president, said. “It was nice to catch up with her.”

Through autumn festivities, the chapter bonded and enjoyed a laid back club event, the first after numerous scheduling conflicts.

“I think everyone had a great time and we really got to know each other better,” Parker said.