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Lake County educators tour Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch as part of educator field trip

A 2-ton fiberglass pumpkin sitting atop a silo greeted 20 educators from across Lake County on Wednesday as they toured Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch in Pingree Grove.

The group made the journey during part of the weeklong Lake County Farm Bureau annual Educator Field Trip.

"This is really interesting. It's great," said Barb Chan, a third-grade teacher at St. Gilbert Catholic School in Grayslake. "I grew up in the city, so this is pretty neat."

The hourlong tour gave the teachers a chance to meet the people who run the farm.

Grower Dan Lindeman explained how they work with seeds and how his team plants and eventually harvests the produce.

The teachers will be able to use their experience in the classroom, and some may bring their classes to the farm this fall.

"Our goal is to set up firsthand experiences and help (the teachers) understand our local products," said the Lake County Farm Bureau's Andy Blaul.

The field trip is part of the Lake County Farm Bureau's Agriculture in the Classroom program.

Teachers who attend the program can receive 30 Continuing Professional Development Units through The Illinois State Board of Education, as well as the opportunity for graduate credit.

The cost for the week, including transportation, four dinners, snacks and all touring fees is $25.

Goebbert's farm market business started in 1948 in Arlington Heights and has expanded to locations in South Barrington and Pingree Grove.

The working farm employs more than 250 people during its peak season.

Many area schoolchildren enjoy Goebbert's fall festival while on field trips each year.

  A 2-ton pumpkin overlooks Kim Heine, left, as she leads a group of Lake County educators on a tour of Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch in Pingree Grove on Wednesday. Among the stops on the weeklong tour is O'Hare International Airport to see how incoming produce is handled. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
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