By Duncan Allison,

Farming in Chester County is not just corn, soybeans and livestock it also includes fun and tasty crops like pumpkins. This is pumpkin season for us to enjoy their splash of color at the front door or baked in a pie.

It is also an important time of year for county farmers who are involved in direct sales. Farmers are always on the lookout for ways to diversify their farm operations and find high value cash crops. They have found that pumpkins attract visitors to their farms during the early autumn.

Chester County farms are often close to a significant population of families living in nearby urban and suburban communities. Pumpkins are a strong attraction and so fields are planted where visitors can pick their own pumpkins. Many farmers have also added hayrides. Some have even added a corn maze to provide an additional attraction.

Visitors to these farms can see the brilliant splashes of orange growing in the field and pick their own pumpkins. Local farms include Barnard’s Orchard, Unionville, and Highland Orchards outside West Chester, Hurricane Hill Farm and Corn Maze north of Coatesville, Milky Way Farm, Chester Springs and Sugartown Strawberries in Malvern. See a map for their locations at www.chesco.org/dev.

Bob Lange of Sugartown Strawberries reports a plentiful supply of good quality and disease free pumpkins that are smaller than normal – averaging 50-20lbs – due to the dry summer. His biggest pumpkin so far has been 83 lbs. The lack of disease should mean they will store well.

These farms have recognized that direct sales must involve marketing tactics that attract visitors and bring customers to their farm stores with their selection of fruit, vegetables, cider, honey and other farm products even their own ice cream.

Pumpkins originated in the western hemisphere and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Today we use them largely for decoration, cooking and even carving. Historically they provided a valuable source of food as they could be stored for several months during the winter.

Pumpkins may also be purchased by families interested to exercise their artistic talents by carving a pumpkin so their artwork can be displayed inside or outside the house. The Chadds Ford Historical Society organizes their annual Pumpkin Carve which is held October 22-24^th and attracts leading local artists to test their skill and artistry on carving 150-400 lb. pumpkins.

Pumpkins can reach an incredible size and the contests are highly competitive. The current world record pumpkin weighed an unbelievable 2,058 lbs. and it was grown last year in Northern California.

Farming embraces a wide range of crops which are grown for food, feed for livestock, fiber and energy. Chester County offers lots of opportunities to see pumpkins growing but don’t forget to take some home to eat, use for decoration and even carve to demonstrate your artistic talents.

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Pictures courtesy of Lisa Leigh Bennett