On Sunday, the Long Lane Farm held its third annual Organic Pumpkin Festival, drawing a number of students to sample seasonal food and participate in autumnal pastimes.

Activities included live music, face painting, pumpkin painting, making leaf prints, T-shirt making, and workshops with people affiliated with the farm.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Pumpkin Fest,” said Kate McHugh ’10. “I’ve never heard of squash pie before, and it was delicious! And my roommate’s band, Hi Lonesome, is playing.”

Various seasonal foods were sold for inexpensive prices, including pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, ground cherry muffins, and squash pie.

“Ground cherries are the most exotic thing we have,” said Diana Hubbell ’10. “They taste like candy, but look like tomatoes.”

Students and community members could receive a free caramel apple by writing a statement to the University’s Presidential Search Committee about what they want to see in the next president. Veggie burgers were also available for free.

At a leaf-rubbing station, students taught participants about the leaves and plants they were rubbing. They discussed invasive species that were threatening the native plants in the area and noted that some of the native plants are themselves becoming invasive species. The non-native plants, students explained, could be introduced to an ecosystem by natural ways, such as through birds or humans.

Professor of Biology and Earth and Environmental Sciences Barry Chernoff told the Middletown Press about a lesser-known function of the farm.

“This is not just about growing vegetables,” Chernoff said to the Press. “[It] gives the students ties to food production…Most of the vegetables from here go to local food shelters.”

Tim Betcher, University alumnus and a Middletown resident, gave a talk about his experience as a beekeeper. While working on a farm in Wisconsin, Betcher spent a day with a beekeeper and fell in love with the job. He now raises bees at Long Lane.

“Bees are just totally fascinating creatures,” Betcher said.

He has spent so much time working with bees that he has grown attuned to their moods, Betcher said.

“When I open the hive, I know what my bees are feeling,” he said.

Autumn marks the end of the season for collecting honey from beehives. Betcher said that he received 70 lbs. of honey from his bees this year, which is lower than his normal quota. The bees that he keeps at the farm are Italian bees and, he said, they are still getting acclimated to the New England climate.

After showing the audience some of his tools, Betcher brought the group to see his bees. Although a few people were nervous about being close to the insects, Betcher assured the audience that no one would be harmed. Before opening the place where the bees are stored, he put smoke in a pot, explaining that smoke calms bees down, although scientists still do not understand exactly how this works. He also put smoke on himself so that he would smell like the smoky area surrounding the bees.

Before handling the bees, Betcher dressed himself in all white.

“You wear white because it’s neutral to bees,” he explained. “Bees are like people. They get grumpy on rainy days.”

Since the day’s weather was dry and sunny, Betcher did not expect any problems. While he was showing the audience the bees and their honey, he explained that most of the bees that sting people in the summer are yellow jackets. In fact, the drones (male bees) that Butcher raises do not even have stingers. He passed a drone around the audience. The workshop culminated with Betcher’s offering the audience to taste fresh honey.

The talk entertained Gabi Fordiller ’07.

“This was the kind of thing I wouldn’t expect from Wesleyan,” Fordiller said. “I held a bee for the first time!”

Pumpkin Fest coordinator Kevi Mace ’07 expressed to the Middletown Press her satisfaction with the attendance, especially that of Middletown residents.

“There are a lot of people out here who haven’t been here before,” she told the Press.