I’m not huge into fall. The leaves are pretty and all, but I haven’t gone driving around to look at them in … maybe 20 years? And it’s not just because of gas prices. I pass colored leaves all day, and don’t feel like a special trip for it.

Sunday, though, we were on a quest for pumpkins. Cheap pumpkins, to be specific, so we headed out Salzburg toward a stretch of farm stands.

My daughter immediately pounced upon a smaller but “cute” pumpkin, while her brother rolled his eyes and muttered that she probably would name it. As she held her $2 treasure we poked about further, expressing interest in a large green version but balking at the $7 price. We looked at the picked-over pumpkins, smaller than we wanted. We were directed to “giant” ones by the sign and dutifully admired them, although they were misshapen and couldn’t stand without support – probably why they were by the sign. We left with only one pumpkin – and a six-pack of apple cider donuts dusted with cinnamon sugar.

Down the road we had better luck – half-price pumpkins at an honor system stand. There was a sign that said 50 percent off, but none to say what the original prices were. We asked the only person in sight, and she pointed at tables and rattled off prices, pointed out the plastic bags hanging on a tree and disappeared into her house.

They weren’t large, but they were big enough. Even better, there was a fabulous selection of small gourds, some suitable for eyes, a few hooked ones for noses or just for fun. My daughter was surprised by one that had green stripes, then a band of orange, then more green, and said she didn’t know anything grew that way. We chose about four pumpkins and a bag and half of gourds, and poked $5.75 into the slot in the coffee can.

It’ll be a huge doing tonight, of course, as we gut and draw and hack and admire. Carving might be the best thing about Halloween. (Ask me again after the trick or treating, though.)

This post originally appeared on ourMidland.com, the online home of the Midland (MI) Daily News. Republished with permission.