Farmers say pumpkin crop ‘average’
Growing season went better than anticipated after drought in 2020
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As Halloween approaches, area growers say despite some heavy rains, this year's pumpkin crop appears to be average to above average.
"This year's weather was ideal for growing a lot of things, including pumpkins," said Megan Coopey, owner of Way Fruit Farm, Port Matilda. "A perfect combination of sunshine and rain for Central Pennsylvania means that our pumpkin plants are thriving."
"Our crop is better than average with quite beautiful colors," said Evelyn Bookhammer, co-owner of JB Tree Farm on Route 22 near Alexandria. "No matter how much we irrigate, the natural rain always makes things grow better."
Harner Farms, State College, also reported a good growing year.
"It is a good crop this year, better than average," Chris Harner said. "Last year we had a drought."
Thomas G. Ford, commercial horticulture educator for Penn State Extension, said this year's crop is average in respect to yield.
But, average is better than what some farmers expected, said Bill Zeiders, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau spokesman.
"Some farmers were worried in the spring when they planted their pumpkins and squash, as it was wet and the seeds didn't germinate very well," he said. "Then it became dry and some were worried they would not get a marketable crop."
Then some heavy rains later in the season "brought enough moisture to produce an average crop for them, which is better than they were expecting," Zeiders said.
Bookhammer said she has more varieties than usual.
"We planted quite a few unusual varieties mostly for stacking pumpkins, which is a popular thing," she said, explaining stacking is done with pumpkins that grow rather flat. "You can stack up four or five of them of different sizes and colors," Bookhammer said.
This summer's weather, which included torrential rains from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, did cause some problems.
"The most recent tropical depression that brought flooding rains damaged/destroyed low lying fields in some areas especially in Eastern Pennsylvania," Ford said. "When weather events like this hit it has an impact on pumpkin supplies, which can cause localized shortages in some communities and higher prices."
The pumpkin supply in Blair County looks good, Ford said.
"The weather did cause them to turn orange a little earlier than normal," Coopey said, "which only means they may not stay firm quite as long into the season as normal, but shouldn't affect the average pumpkin customer."
Disease pressure was significant due to the heat and humidity coupled with periodic flooding downpours.
"Powdery mildew, plectosporium blight and fusarium fruit rot were the predominant diseases observed in pumpkin fields," Ford said.
In fields that were hit with flooding rains, phytophthora blight was observed. The blight can destroy an entire pumpkin crop in a matter of days.
"Unfortunately there were some growers that lost a significant portion of their pumpkin crop in western and eastern Pennsylvania," Ford said.
Some powdery mildew is common, Harner said. "It depends where you are. You have to keep up with your fungicides."
We grow traditional orange pumpkins, but also white, bumpy, blue/green and squatty pumpkins to ensure everyone can decorate for fall in their own unique way," Coopey said.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics, Pennsylvania ranks seventh in the nation in terms of pumpkin production, with an estimated 73.5 million pounds in 2020, up 11% from the 2019 estimate, according to King Whetstone, director of the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Northeastern Regional Field Office.
The average yield per acre was estimated at 105,000 pounds, unchanged from the previous year. The area harvested was estimated at 7,000 acres, up 11% from 2019. The value of production totaled $22.5 million, up 34% from 2019.
For those looking for that perfect pumpkin this fall, Coopey offers some advice.
"Always look for strong, firm stems and you'll have a pumpkin that will last the whole fall for you.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.