College Times - October 2021

OFFERING THE RIGHT RESOURCES TRACK UNITED FOOD BANK HELPS COMBAT COLLEGE HUNGER

LONELY LEONARD

OCTOBER 2021

FALL IS BACK! 11 pumpkin patches in Arizona

EST. 2002

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11 Things

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Offering Resources

Pumpkin patches in Arizona United Food Bank helps combat college hunger

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The Right Track Lonely Leonard

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HEY writers can you put words into sentences? Are you connected to the cool things happening on campus?

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STUDENT LIFE

11 PUMPKIN PATCHES IN ARIZONA ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

W

ith fall finally here, pumpkin patches are back in the swing of things. Go on a date or grab a group of friends and head over to one of these 11 pumpkin patches to ring in the fall spirit. Don’t forget to take some photos for Instagram.

11. MORTIMER FARMS PUMPKIN FEST & CORN MAZE For over a decade Mortimer Farms has put on a Pumpkin Fest and Corn Maze in Dewey for the entire month of October. During the weekend people can enjoy pig races, shows, entertainment, hayrides, pumpkin patch and the corn maze. And once the sun goes down, patrons can revel in the fire dances, karaoke, barn dances and navigating the corn maze in the dark. Weekdays consist of grain train rides, outside vendors and the same fun as the weekends.

Mortimer Farms, 12907 E. State Route 169, Dewey, mortimerfarmsaz.com, $14-$30

10. THE PUMPKIN PATCH AT MOTHER NATURE’S FARM This pumpkin patch will stay open until the end of October. Enter into the farm for $10 and take part in the hayride, feed the animals, pick out a pumpkin or find you way through Alexander’s Adventure Maze. Make a full day out of it by bringing a picnic lunch that can be eaten at the picnic tables or grassy fields.

Mother Nature’s Farm, 1663 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert, mothernaturesfarm.com, $10

9. TOLMACHOFF FARMS Get ready to make some unforgettable memories at Tolmachoff Farms, which has a big

pumpkin patch and 6-acre corn maze with a new theme each year.

If you are up for the challenge, try out the haunted corn maze as well.

Other activities include a petting zoo, train ride, hay pyramid, corn box and a pedal cart track.

Tolmachoff Farms, 5726 N. 75th Avenue, Glendale, tolmachofffarms.com, $15

8. FEAR FARM OK, so this is not a pumpkin patch, but it’s still worthy of a visit during this fall. For the thrill seekers who like to be scared senseless, this is the place to go. Between five different attractions, including the Dead End Slaughterhouse, Dead in the Water, Nuke Town, the Spirit of Halloween and Sinister Circus and the Haunted Corn Maze, everyone is sure to find a trail that satisfies their scare needs.

Fear Farm, 6801 N. 99th Avenue, Glendale, fearfarm.com, $24.99-$99.99

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Mother Nature's Farm features a hayride, animal feeding, pumpkins and a maze.

7. MARANA PUMPKIN PATCH

5. HALLOWEEN TOWN PUMPKIN PATCH

Looking to travel a bit south to find a unique pumpkin patch?

Then go for Marana Pumpkin Patch, located roughly 30 minutes northwest of Tucson. It has 50 acres of homegrown pumpkins to choose a favorite to take home. Take a group of friends into the corn maze, but don’t wander off or you might risk being late for Thanksgiving dinner.

Marana Pumpkin Patch, 14950 N. Trico Road, Marana, maranapumkpinpatch.com, $15-$17

A bit of Halloween Town comes to the Valley mid-October. With so many pumpkins to choose from, there’s the right size one for everyone who comes. Take the time choosing the right one. After pumpkin shopping, stick around for the carnival games, face painting and other attractions.

Halloween Town, 8980 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale, halloweentownaz.com, $5

6. VERTUCCIO FARMS It’s time for cooler days in the corn maze. Vertuccio Farms has an entire fall festival throughout the month of October filled with animals, kettle corn, pumpkin sales, carnival games, barrel train rides and a bunch of other attractions. This is definitely a place to spend the whole day or at least a few hours.

Vertuccio Farms, 4011 S. Power Road, Mesa, vertucciofarms.com, $12

4. SCHNEPF FARMS QUEEN CREEK Dig in at the Pumpkin and Chili Party at Schnepf Farms. Choose from a variety of grilled food options, of course including chili, then walk through either the 4-acre or 10-acre corn maze along with the petting zoo, pig races and a bunch more. Come for the food, and stay for the all-day fun.

Schnepf Farms, 24810 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek, pumpkinandchiliparty.com, $23.95

3. PUMPKIN FEST

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Halloween Town in Scottsdale offers carnival games and face painting, in addition to pumpkin shopping.

4 ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | OCTOBER 2021

There is magic in the night when pumpkins glow by moonlight. Join the fun at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess with its Pumpkin Fest.

This spooktacular event features a pumpkin patch that is great to attend in a comfy pair of pajamas; the jack-o’-lantern lawn and lane with a slew of games and treats; and the new cider orchard to try out a crisp hard cider, delicious pie or

other autumn treats.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale, scottsdaleprincess.com, $18-$108

2. APPLE ANNIE’S ORCHARD Don’t let the name fool you, Apple Annie’s Orchard has way more than just apples. It has the entire Fall Pumpkin Celebration. Walk through the 12.5-acre, 600,000-stalk corn maze and take a hayride over to the pumpkin patch with some of the biggest pumpkins growing on the vine in Arizona. There are rows and rows of pumpkins, from miniature sized to extra-large. Take a few minutes to check out the varieties of sunflowers available as well.

Apple Annie’s Orchard, 6405 W. Williams Road, Willcox, appleannies.com, $5-$11

1. ARIZONA PUMPKIN PATCH Arizona Pumpkin Patch is where the best pumpkins and fall fun are just around the corner. With locations all around across Arizona, it’s easy to see why this location put the state in its name. One of the highlights of this location is that it is dog friendly, meaning holiday pup photos are just waiting to happen.

Don’t forget to pick out a carving kit to make sure that your pumpkin is jack-o’-lantern ready to go for Halloween.

Arizona Pumpkin Patch, various locations, arizonapumpkinpatch. org, free entry CT

student life

G N I R E F F O S E C R U O RES

COLLEGE TIMES PHOTO BY PABLO ROBLES

Dave Richins, CEO and president of United Food Bank, understands that some college students are faced with the major challenge of hunger.

UNITED FOOD BANK HELPS COMBAT COLLEGE HUNGER ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

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ollege students are faced with a plethora of challenges, from sleep deprivation and time management to stress management and figuring out a social life.

Unfortunately, for some students one other major hardship is faced — hunger.

United Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that assists low-income people living within the East Valley in obtaining wholesome and nutritious food.

“Sometimes people show up on campus and people need a meal right away, then other times they are trying to plan ahead a little bit, so they will want to do grocery shopping and get that kind of thing,” says Dave Richins, CEO and president of United Food Bank.

United Food Bank has three food pantries spread out on ASU main’s campus, Mesa Community College and Chandler-Gilbert Community College that offer an array of food choices, from prepared meals such as “a can of raviolis” to other pantry items to stock up on.

“Today’s generation a lot of time doesn’t plan ahead and they don’t necessarily have the thought of, ‘Hey, I need to go to the grocery store and buy this stuff,’ and then they may get caught in a situation where they may not have money and they may not have food so they need to turn to

some help,” Richins says.

The food pantries on the campuses come into place to assist with providing meals to students and their families in need.

“I think most of what we put in there is donated products or purchased products by the food bank,” Richins says. “It is stuff that is a little bit more catered to the traditional college student.”

Richins did point out that “a large majority of today’s college students are not traditional” in the sense of being a 20-something straight out of high school student.

“You have working families, older students that may have returned for a degree. They will have a little bit different need than the typical ‘I need a meal right now’ type of younger folk,” Richins says. “We try to put both options in those food banks.”

While looking at what it means for college students to have food insecurities, Richins was surprised “by how many athletes suffer from food issues, and like Division 1 top athletes.” One of his longtime friends who played at LSU before playing for the Arizona Cardinals told him he had to skip meals “all of the time” because he didn’t have the money or resources to get what he needed.

“If you look at the families that are returning to school to finish a degree

and all of the different ways that students look today, the one thing that is common for a lot of college students, whether traditional or not, they don’t have what they need in terms of the basic needs standpoint,” Richins says. “(That is) because they are sacrificing while they go through school.”

Outside of the food pantries on campus, Richins recommends a federal food assistance program called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is part of the Nutrition Assistance (formerly the Food Stamp Program).

Find out more information at https://bit.ly/3AaM5wZ. “Sometimes people feel guilty about going on SNAP, but it’s like you know you are going to be taxpayers for the rest of your life — they’ll pay it back tenfold,” Richins says.

“It’s really the primary way that college students should address their hunger issues. The second is going to those on college pantries, and maybe the third is the off-campus pantries if they live off campus.”

At the two community college pantries, Richins stated that they do a “monthly fresh produce distribution.”

“We are trying to give (students) what they need,” Richins says.

“Those fresh produce distributions I think really supplemented those students.

“It was interesting, too, because I have been to a couple of them and (the students are) really energized by that. It wasn’t just canned goods; it was a lot of fruits and veggies. And they were like, ‘I could never afford to buy this’ or ‘It’s too risky to buy it,’ because if it goes bad, then they wasted all of their money.”

When asked what was the best way for others to help their fellow students to combat food insecurities, Richins said to “invite them over for dinner; invite them over for lunch. It provides socialization.”

“You can share a meal and you can have better nutrition and better healthy stuff if you are not just preparing a meal for one person,” Richins says. He also pointed out that one of the best ways to help with college hunger is “raising awareness” of the situation so it is not a taboo conversation.

“Knowing and understanding that you have resources that are available with SNAP and on-campus food pantries (helps),” Richins says.

“If there is an appeal that I can make to your readers, it would be to be cognizant of what your friends are going through, and if you recognize that there may be some food insecurities there, invite them over for a meal. Not only will you lift their spirits, but you’ll fill their bellies.” CT

ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | OCTOBER 2021 5

LONELY

ENTERTAINMENT

the

LEONARD

right TRACK ALEX GALLAGHER • COLLEGE TIMES

A PEEK INSIDE THE PLAYLISTS OF PHOENIX’S MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE

L

onely Leonard has always found it hard to stay quiet.

As a native of the township of Bloomfield, New Jersey, Leonard always felt it was his place to use his voice and creative mind to stick up for himself.

He is now using those talents as a rapper and a video maker on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.

Leonard currently has over 25,000 followers on TikTok, 20,000 viewers on YouTube, and his music has been streamed over 150,000 times on Spotify.

Despite his ability to reach a large audience, Leonard hopes that the audience not only listens to what he has to say but understands the messages behind his videos and lyrics.

“I just tell it how I see it and make sure my facts are straight,” he says.

This can be best exemplified by his latest song, titled “Medusa,” which was released on August 20.

“It’s about how the pursuit of fame eats you and essentially turns your heart into stone,” Leonard says.

The song features a fast-paced beat and is hit hard by Leonard’s snaring vocal styles, keeping the fans’ attention until the waning seconds of the nearly two-minute track.

With the song’s high energy and uptempo rhythm, Leonard is anxious for the opportunity to play the track in front of a live audience.

“The fans are digging it and can’t wait to do it live,” he says.

When he is not making music, Leonard is studying film at Arizona State University.

He plans to receive a bachelor’s degree this fall and credits his education at the school to aiding his creative drive.

“Being constantly exposed to

art and production helps you keep focused,” Leonard says. “(It) makes you want to grind harder.”

Leonard has also used his film skills by gaining notoriety on TikTok with educational videos that display his interest in politics and activism with mental health, the Black Lives Matter movement and any underserved community he feels the need to shed light on.

“I have a lot of really strong opinions and love to argue,” he says.

“I guess there’s 20,000-plus people in the same boat, and I love them all.”

Despite being ready to move on from college in the coming months, Leonard has advice to the underclassmen on how to stay successful during college.

“What makes you different is what makes you worth listening to,” he says.

TOP SIX FAVORITE SONGS OF ALL TIME “Life Is Beautiful” by Lil Peep

This song perfectly encapsulates my philosophy on life.

“Sitting On the Dock of The Bay”

by Otis Redding

I chose this song purely because it helps me relax.

“Science Fiction/Double Feature”

by Richard O’Brien (“Rocky Horror Picture Show”)

Yeah, I like musicals. So?

PREFERRED WAY OF LISTENING TO MUSIC

“All Eyez On Me” is Pac’s best record, in my opinion, and this song has a great feature with Rappin’ 4-Tay.

If you respect the art form, you’ll listen to some high-quality speakers. It’s the only way to appreciate the depth of the music.

A lot of headphones kind of bastardize it, but some decent ones can help you hear the texture of the sounds and the lyrics and all that. The car slaps, too, though, I guess. If it’s not on some phone speakers, you should be good, honestly.

“Creep” by Radiohead

DESERT ISLAND ALBUM

“Whatever I Want” by Colleen Green

I view this as an anthem for being independent, or “lonely.”

“Only God Can Judge Me” by 2Pac

Deep down I’m still that dejected kid no one wants, and he’ll never leave me. This song reminds me of that in a way.

6 ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | OCTOBER 2021

In Utero by Nirvana

WHAT ARTIST WOULD PROVIDE THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE? Trent Reznor for sure. Not the score music he is doing for Disney, though. He must be screaming for my life story. That’s the only way it would be authentic.

GO-TO GUILTY PLEASURE TRACK OR CLASSIC KARAOKE TUNE I don’t get guilty. If it slaps, it slaps.

I bump Billie Eilish like I’m a 15-yearold white girl.

FAVORITE SONG BY AN ARTIST FROM YOUR COUNTRY “Pray For Me” by The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar off the “Black Panther” album. I hail from Wakanda. CT

respect the players

respect the game

respect each other