With families gathering for a massive Thanksgiving dinner this weekend, the day before the feast gave them a chance to get outdoors for some bonding time.
Eight-year-old Alma Johnson said and her mother Karen Ann came to the capital region from Minnesota for the holiday, spending Saturday at Abby Hill Farm in Richmond.
"It's a really loving day in my heart, I feel really happy that all my friends and family are here," Alma said.
"We wanted to spend time with family friends, grampa and cousins," said her mother.
The family, including that 82-year-old grandfather from Saskatchewan, spent the day roaming the petting zoo and picking pumpkins.
The farm’s management said this summer’s drought didn’t have too much of an effect on their pumpkins, with some weighing in at 140 pounds.
“Pumpkins are a lot harder to grow then what people think,” said Graham Greene. “You need great weather with good rainfall to get those really big ones."
2012 is the eleventh year Abby Hill Farm has put on Thanksgiving-themed activities, helping them draw back families such as the Johnsons.
"I think it's a beautiful place, I'm just not used to the weather.” Alma said. “It's much colder in Minnesota."
With a report from CTV Ottawa’s Stefanie Masotti
