Seeds of Hope Youth Ranch Hosts Annual Pumpkin Hunt

DULUTH, Minn – Seeds of Hope Youth Ranch in Duluth held its annual Pumpkin Hunt and dozens of kids showed up to take part in the fun.

The pumpkin hunt is more than just a fun fall activity.  It’s a chance for children to learn a valuable lesson about animals.

Pumpkins large and small are scattered around the Seeds of Hope Youth Ranch.

Kids take on the adventure of searching for those pumpkins to hopefully check them off the list.

But that’s not only the fun part.

More than 25 horses and a petting zoo can keep most any child interested and willing to learn.

“The kids enthusiasm is just great they love to learn about the horses and interact with nature and spend the whole day outside,”said Stella Maris 1st grade teacher Jodi Altonen.

Not only do kids learn about the horses and other animals. they are learning to give back.

Seeds of Hope is a non profit organization offering free horse lessons to kids ages five to eighteen.

But to keep the operation going it takes a lot of help from the community.

The Pumpkin Hunt is one of the fundraisers that helps the ranch continue caring for the animals.

“We need to raise the funds that’s what our fundraisers are for to help with the horses care,” said Co-founder Wendy Krook.  “The hay the oats, some are on medication that takes a cost.”

Seeds of Hope staff say it costs more than$5,000 each year to pay for hay to feed the animals.

Thanks to the help of events like the pumpkin hunt, they can sustain the ranch.

Last year about 650 people stopped by the ranch on west pioneer road, to support the fundraising events.

Tomorrow Seeds of Hope will be hosting another Pumpkin Hunt from 1– 4 pm.

They are asking for a five dollar per person donation to participate.