Those who want to find the perfect pumpkin while helping a local church will want to stop by the Union Congregational Church of Christ Pumpkin patch.
The patch, located at 350 Mansface, opened earlier in the month and will remain open until about 5 p.m. on Oct. 31.
For the sixth year in a row, Green River residents will have the opportunity to look through more than 1,000 pumpkins to find the perfect one.
“We have a lot better sizes this year,” UCC member and volunteer Pam Kerr said. “Last year they all seemed to be huge.”
Kerr said this year the selection is just so much better. Not only do they have pumpkins, ranging in size for small to large, but a variety of gourds and elf houses.
The pumpkins come from a farm near Farmington, N.M.
“It must be an enormous farm,” Kerr said.
She said the trucker told her when he picked up the pumpkins for the church the fields were filled with trucks and there was a line of more than 60 at the gate waiting to get in.
Kerr said the trucker this year was really talkative and helpful. He helped the church group unload the pumpkins, which took about two hours.
One of the heaviest loads had to be moved by a forklift, which Green River Police Officer Ken Yager volunteered to do. This load held all of the smaller cooking pumpkins.
About 30 volunteers showed up to unload and place the pumpkins. This year, they have 1,375 pumpkins. That number doesn’t include any of the gourds or small pumpkins in the boxes.
For Kerr, the best part of the pumpkin patch is seeing the kids’ reactions to all of the pumpkins.
“The kids love it,” she said.
Not only can the children pick out their own pumpkins, but they can have their photos taken in one of the face-in-the-hole boards. The church has one with pumpkins and one with ghosts.
One high school student asked the church if it was OK for her to have her seniors photos taken in the pumpkin patch. They were excited about how much the community enjoys their patch.
It never ceases to amaze Kerr just how excited the kids get. She said usually the first pumpkin the child finds, which is usually a small one, is the one they want to keep. Even if a parent encourages them to look at more, they usually stick with their first pick.
“I just love watching people come and find the perfect one,” she said.
Many schools even bring classes by to pick out pumpkins and receive a lesson on pumpkins. Kerr said usually a pumpkin is cut open so the students can see what is inside. So far, they have four classes coming to this educational program.
Last year, the church raised about $3,000. The fundraiser is all based on a percentage. The more they sell, the more they make. The good part is they do not have to put any money out ahead of time. The company they go through, Pumpkins USA, doesn’t want a saturated market they make sure that one delivery goes to Green River and that is at the church.
All of the money raised will go toward the church’s mission projects.
Those who are not interested in the pumpkin patch will still want to check out the church’s bake sale, which will take place Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Straw bales are also available for purchase at $5 a bale, but only after 2 p.m. on Oct. 31. The straw was donated by Dude and Shirley DeLambert of Farson.
As for the left over pumpkins, the food bank will take some and the rest will go to the dump. Those who would like some for baking should stop by after the sale ends. Kerr said any pumpkin that is medium sized or smaller make good baking pumpkins.
Reader Comments(0)