~ Press release provided by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation
GREENE, Oct. 17 — October is Virginia Pumpkin Month, and now is the time to visit a local pumpkin patch to pick your perfect pumpkin.
With nearly 400 growers cultivating pumpkins across 4,600 acres, pumpkins are a booming business in the commonwealth. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, pumpkins rank 19th among the commonwealth’s top commodities, accounting for $15.5 million in cash receipts in 2023. Nationally, Virginia ranks ninth in pumpkin production.
But while farmers are opening their pumpkin patches and welcoming customers for fall festivities, this year’s growing season was “one of the hardest so far,” said Sarah Weaver Sharpe, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Greene County.
Sharpe is the owner of Sarah’s Pumpkin Patch in Madison County and said the summer’s severe drought and high temperatures caused significant growth delays. Pumpkins don’t fruit when nights are above 70 degrees.
“There were some spots where the pumpkin varieties didn’t even set fruit at all or are just now setting fruit,” she explained. “Across the state the pumpkins were about three weeks behind where they would normally be.”
She added that because of the prolonged drought, she and many other growers are “experiencing about a 50-percent to 70-percent yield compared to normal years.”
Despite the weather-driven setbacks, Sharpe is excited for families to visit her U-pick pumpkin patch this fall. The late-season rains helped her orange carving pumpkins “grow the biggest they’ve ever been.”
In Southampton County, Goose Hill Farm owner Amp Cobb also is greeting customers for pick-your-own and pre-picked pumpkins. While he’s fortunate his crop fared well overall, he had to increase his crop protectants to keep disease and pests at bay this year.
“I think I sprayed them about every week,” said Cobb. “But we’re good on the number of pumpkins we have right now.”
He noted the season was off to a slow start, but he’s optimistic business will pick up as Halloween approaches. Customers visiting the farm will find a variety of pumpkins, including one that’s all white and the classic jack-o’-lantern.
“We grow anywhere from small gourds that look like pumpkins to pumpkins that weigh 100 pounds or better,” he said. “We’ve got to have a variety because everybody’s got different tastes.”
To find the ideal carving pumpkin, look for one that is a deep orange with a long green stem, Sharpe advised.
“It’s important to carry your pumpkin with one hand around the stem and another on the bottom of the pumpkin so the stem doesn’t fall off!” she said.
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