Peninsula patchwork

Second graders scope out squash

MOSES LAKE — One hasn't truly lived until witnessing a group of second graders attempting to lug pumpkins several sizes too large.

It's kind of like ants, only ants are capable of lifting 10 times their own weight.

By the end, some of the students were rolling theirs on the ground to get along, while others were taxing their backpacks and still others abandoned their large ones in favor of a couple that were a little more manageable. Others had their parents carry the pumpkins for them.

But gourd mass didn't stop many from their pursuit of the biggest, the roundest — in some cases, the greenest — and in all cases, the best pumpkin possible.

Four second-grade classes from Peninsula Elementary made their way to the Columbia Basin Fish Hatchery Thursday morning, followed by a trek to teacher Joan Dopps' residence to pick a pumpkin — one apiece, although the number allowed was heard to be asked several times.

Dopp said this was the 19th year of bringing students to her house via school bus for pumpkin harvest.

"My husband and I use it as a 4-H service project and let the kids come out," she said. "So it's a combination Grant County Fair project, school project."

Dopps hopes the students pick up a little bit of information about farming, noting the purpose is an agricultural field trip.

The trip will also factor into a science lesson, Dopps said, as students are learning about composting.

"This is really a good lesson to tie in with our science warm project," she said.