This fall, get the family together and head to Nova Scotia's Annapolis valley for a little something out of the ordinary. Interested in seeing scenes of scarecrows with pumpkin heads? How about watching a pumpkin boat regatta and meeting Howard Dill, the father of giant pumpkins? You can even get a photo with him and one of his 500lb (or more) pumpkins. Harvest time in the valley involves both the familiar treats of breath-taking fall foliage, hearty thanksgiving meals with some more unusual but pleasant treats that make this a definite autumn getaway destination.

Begin your trip in Windsor, known as the birthplace of hockey. Here you can visit Long Pond where hockey is believed to have had its beginnings as well as visit Howard Dill's farm next door. This 72 year old grand-father, with warm blue eyes and sun-weathered skin, is a kind and gracious host. “Growing these large pumpkins is a combination of everything,“ he says, “TLC, the right seed and weather.“

He developed the seed over a period of 20 years, through the process of natural selection. “No modern genetic engineering here,“ he says chuckling. In 1979, he won his first world championship in Philadelphia and then went on to win every world championship till 1982. He said, “In the early days, you could expect to win 10 dollars. Now, the bigwigs win trucks and all-inclusive trips“.

Many of the competitions winners have used Howard’s pumpkin seeds. In fact, he has sells his 'hot' pumpkin seeds over E-bay for as much as 1400$ each! Maybe it's time we all start growing a few pumpkins in our backyards… you never know, you might end up paying for you child's university education with it!

The pumpkin festival takes place this year on October 14th. It is a three day event held in Windsor and culminates with the pumpkin regatta. It became well-known after being covered in Martha Stewart's Living magazine in 1992.

Next, stop at Prescott House Museum at Starr's Point, near Wolfville. Charles Prescott was a horticulturist and a Nova Scotian apple industry pioneer. In fact, he created over a hundred new varieties of apples and introduced to Nova Scotia many of the varieties we still eat today, including the Gravenstein and the Baldwin. You can't taste them here but it’s a good place to come and get a little history before an afternoon of apple-picking. During the month of October, the house comes alive with pet spiders on leashes in the bedrooms, bowls of eyeballs on the dining room table as well as bats and black crows lurking in all the dark corners. It is open from 9h30 am to 5h30 pm, Monday through Saturday and 1pm to 5h30 pm on Sundays.

Kentville should be your next stop. This is where you will find the 'pumpkin people'. This festival takes place annually and is organized by the community. Drive through town for bewildering scenes: a wedding procession, a tea party with the Queen, a Kiss concert, a parade… There is no official map of sites, so you need to drive around a little to find each one. In that way, discovering each scene is a little treat in itself!

Finish off your stay in Annapolis Royal, one of the oldest European settlements in Canada. Here you can check into a historical inn, like the Blomidon or the Queen Anne. There is a beautiful boardwalk and a lighthouse by the water where you can watch the sunset. After dark, go on a spooky tour one of the oldest Canadian cemeteries. Your host, an Acadian with deep roots in the Valley, leads the way with a candle-lit lantern. But not to worry, the tour is fun and educational, thus a great activity for the whole family.

So this Thanksgiving, pack your bags and take a short drive to Nova Scotia for harvest time in the Annapolis Valley- I guarantee you won’t regret it.