1000 Things To-Do

Was your summer as busy as ours?  As you can see, it’s been a week or so since we’ve been able to post our Monday City Spotlight as well as our Thursday What To Do This Weekend posts.  I’m sure you, as were we, were enjoying the last few moments of summer before school started.  Oh and then school started.  It’s nice to get back to a schedule with all the kids.  Two are in school, so it’s nice to have things organized again.  We love the summer, but we area always all over the place.  How about you?  Well, as we prepare for what should be a cold and snowy winter in most parts of the country, let’s look at some of the things you could do this very weekend in Spokane!

• Spokane County Interstate Fair : Upon entering we immediately headed to the animal barns. Since our kids can name all the farm animals we thought it would be an appropriate place to start. We started with the pig barn and were blessed to see a few baby pigs. They were crying and asking for their mom, but they were so cute. After the pig barn we headed to the cow barn. They kids went nuts when they saw the cows. After a quick tour through the cows we headed to the chickens, bunnies and ducks.
• Carver Farms : I always know fall is coming quickly when corn is ready to pick. And for our family, no place is better to pick corn than Carver Farms (9105 N. Idaho Road, Newman Lake, WA). A couple of weeks ago on our way home from Idaho, we came home through Rathdrum on Trent and made a quick stop at Carver Farms for some fresh corn.On this particular day we were just after corn. We will have to go back in mid-September to dig potatoes. After stopping at the shed to see which corn crop was ready, I grabbed a bucket and was back in the car to drive to the corn field. This year corn was $3 a dozen. A little pricier than normal, but I enjoy picking my own, knowing where it came from and knowing it was not sprayed with pesticides.
• Peach Picking on Greenbluff : I can smell the peaches as we drive around Greenbluff this past weekend. Nothing is better, to me than fresh peaches. They are so versatile. You can eat them plain, over ice cream, in a cobbler, make syrup to use over pancakes or in a margarita.We got up early to go pick peaches so we could beat the heat and headed to Walterʼs Fruit Ranch. Walterʼs has so much to do that it is a perfect place to take a 2 year old. While we waited for the Fruit Loop Express to take us to the peach trees, my son was able to feed the chickens, look at a rabbit and visit the goats. They also have a new play structure so he was able to burn up so me energy on the slide.
• Liberty Lake Farmers Market : The Liberty Lake Farmers Market is located at 1421 N. Meadow Lane Road, Liberty Square Parking Lot. It is open every Saturday May through September 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is very easy to find from I-90 and there are signs from the freeway to the Farmers Market.

I love farmers marketʼs in the summer as you can get fresh produce, meat, eggs and flowers from local growers at great prices. This time of year there is not an overabundance of fresh vegetables, but today there was plenty of fresh herbs, garden starts, fruit, meat, flowers, Italian food, and bread and pastry items. I also saw a lavender booth and other personal items. In a few short weeks the local famerʼs markets will be bustling with fresh fruit and vegetables.

• Spokane Farmers Market : This past Wednesday after working out, we decided to swing through downtown Spokane and visit the Spokane Farmerʼs Market. The Spokane Farmerʼs Market is in its 10th year and is located at 20 W. 2nd Avenue (between Division and Browne). It operates from May through October every Saturday 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and Wednesdays beginning mid-June from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
• Cat Tales Zoological Park : This past weekend we had some out of town visitors, one of which had visited the Cat Tales when she was here last summer and wanted to go back. Being of hardy Spokane (albeit transplanted) stock, we braved the elements of a brisk November afternoon to visit this wonderful zoological park located just a few miles north of Spokane at N. 17020 Newport Hwy, Mead, WA 99021. In regards to the zoo itself, they are home to many incredible animals such as leopards, jaguars, lions, rare tiger species, bobcats, lynx, pumas, as well as bears, reptiles and birds. Many of these animals have been rescued from unfortunate circumstances. You can walk through the zoo on your own or one of the zoo volunteers can take you on a tour. The tour provides a lot of great information, not only about that particular species, but also about that individual animal. Some stories are sad, some colorful, some laced with famousness, but the best part is that they are now at a place that understands them, loves them and has their best interests at heart.
• Hidden Acres Ranch : Saturday October 13th was a beautiful sunny day. After we went to church at Church of God 7th day located at 2929 N. Freya. Our family decided to drive to Hidden Acres at Greenbluff. There are several growers and each has unique things to offer families on an afternoon or day excursion. Some grow berries, some grow apples and peaches and other fruits. The drive its self any time of year is beautiful and scenic but the Autumn is resplendent with color. ReneeSande wrote about Walters Fruit Ranch my article is about the neighboring Hidden Acres Ranch.