Iowa City Press Citizen, IA
10-16-07
Finding the perfect pumpkin
By Rachel Gallegos
Iowa City Press-Citizen
The best advice from the local pumpkin patches this year? Come early.
That's because the combination of too much rain and too much heat has led to difficult growing conditions, with a good quantity of pumpkins for now, but some rotting quickly.
The Sass Family Farm near Riverside had to bring pumpkins from "a little bit of everywhere," including Michigan and Illinois, to supplement what they grew. Certain varieties came in fine, Maurice Sass said, but the big ones didn't turn out as hoped.
"Seems like every year there's something, but that's part of farming, I guess," Sass said.
But do not despair. There are plenty of jack-o'-lanterns to be found at local farms. Here are some options:
Shima Family Farm, Solon
This is the fifth year for pumpkins at the Shima Family Farm, where Kevin and Sherri grew an acre and a half with 16 different pumpkin varieties this year.
They also are selling five varieties of gourds, straw and corn shocks this year, Kevin Shima said.
Shima said he doesn't remember exactly how it started five years ago -- whether they bought the pumpkin seeds or got them from a friend -- but they've continued ever since.
That first year, they started with just a 30-by-30 foot corner of the field.
"I think it was actually going to be more for decorations for us for the farm," Shima said.
But when they ended up with much more than they could possibly need for their Halloween decorations, the Shimas filled up a hayrack load to sell the rest.
Shima said he remembers his dad asking, "What are you going to do with all those pumpkins?"
Only three or four days later, they were all gone.
The second year, they expanded to a half acre.
"I heard the same thing again -- 'What are you going to do with all those pumpkins?'" Shima said.
Selling them year after year has continued not to be a problem.
This year, the pumpkins "look real good," Shima said. Some are maturing a little earlier than normal because of the weather, but that means they'll be ready for sale, he said.
The Shimas had family and friends come pick a majority of pumpkins Oct. 4, so that they are available for people to come look through. Any that are left in the patch, people are welcome to go out and look at if they wish, he said.
Colony Pumpkin Patch, North Liberty
At the Colony Pumpkin Patch in North Liberty, people can search through about 31⁄2 acres for the perfect pumpkin.
This is the third year for this North Liberty pumpkin patch, run by Dean and Katie Colony. This year it is on the east side of the street, behind the farmhouse.
They opened the pumpkin patch Oct. 3 and things have been "good so far," Katie Colony said.
"It's very wet out there," she said. "It's a very good crop, but they seem to be rotting faster."
She urges people to come out earlier to pick their own pumpkin so they spend less time sitting on the wet ground.
"We have a good variety out there," she said.
This year, they also have a lot of gourds compared to previous years, she said, as well as straw bales and corn stalks.
At the end of the pumpkin-selling season, Dean and Katie Colony donate a portion of the funds earned to the Iowa Marrow Donor Program registry at University Hospitals. Dean Colony received a bone marrow transplant more than 10 years ago after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 25.
Wilson's Orchard, Iowa City
Known for its apples, Wilson's Orchard also sells pumpkins as Halloween nears.
This year, Robert "Chug" Wilson "planted a lot more, but the growing conditions were not ideal," said his wife, Joyce Wilson.
"We have a variety of sizes and a pretty good quantity for right now," Joyce Wilson said.
The combination of too much rain and too much heat, however, affected pollination, she said.
"We're still in good shape for pumpkins," she said, with five different sizes of pumpkins currently available.
The orchard also offers winged gourds, butternut squash, birdhouse gourds and bushel gourds -- green gourds bigger than the size of a basketball, Wilson said. This is the first time they've grown bushel gourds, she said.
They also offer an assortment of dried gourds from last year, including apple gourds, she said.
And although their apples are all picked out, they will continue to bring in apples from other orchards as long as they have pumpkins, Wilson said.
Sass Family Farm, Riverside
Another option is Sass Family Farm near Riverside, owned by Maurice and Sherry Sass.
Along with pumpkins, the farm features a petting zoo, crafts, baked goods, a haunted barn and hayrack rides. This is the 11th year the farm has offered pumpkins and more, Sass said.
"It's better than ever. It always is," Sass said of this year's child-friendly haunted barn. "It's really nice."
Sass said they also have a new pond this year that guests get to see during the hayrack rides.
This year, they have four acres of pumpkins, an acre of Indian corn and an acre of squash.
The farm is open year-round for antiques and crafts and fresh brown eggs. Only in the fall, it has a haunted barn, haunted hayrack rides, pick-your-own pumpkins, a straw maze and corn jump.
Tips for a perfect pumpkin
Patrick O'Malley, commercial horticulturalist with the Johnson County Iowa State University Extension Office said pumpkins are more susceptible to rot when they have soil on them.
When looking for a pumpkin, people should pick one with a solid bottom to it to reduce chances of black rot.
He also suggests for people to keep the pumpkin inside until three to five days before Halloween, especially if the temperatures outside go below freezing.
If people want to keep a pumpkin for months, pumpkins should first spend five days in a high temperature and humidity setting to seal up the pumpkin, he said. This prevents them from being susceptible to fungal rot.