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EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was featured in our October/November edition of LaGrange Living

 

Pumpkin patches are an American pasttime many look forward to every year when the temperatures begin to drop. 

Carving pumpkins, painting pumpkins and roasting pumpkin seeds all have one thing in common. They all start at a pumpkin patch. 

On the last weekend of September, the Abbotsford family officially opened a pumpkin patch in LaGrange. 

About 15 minutes from Downtown LaGrange at 410 Abbotsford Road, pumpkin patch lovers can find pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colors. 

Lucas Parmer and his wife, Amanda, started planting seeds at the beginning of August and were able to grow dozens of rows filled with pumpkins. 

“This will be our first year having a pumpkin patch and growing pumpkins,” Parmer said. “We did the summer vegetable boxes this past summer and that was really our thing. Our big thing is summer vegetables and just vegetables in general.” 

Parmer said they got the idea to create a pumpkin patch for the community after years of having to travel outside of LaGrange to go to one. 

“Going out to a pumpkin patch has always been a tradition for us to go out, get pumpkins and get photos,” Parmer said. “When we bought this farm a couple of years ago, we wanted to have something for the community to come out and enjoy.” 

The Parmers found a passion for agriculture and saw that it was a need in LaGrange as well. 

“That is a main thing for us is to have the community closer to agriculture and fresh vegetables,” Parmer said. 

The Abbotsford Farm pumpkin patch will feature your basic pumpkin patch activities such as a spot to take photos, pick a pumpkin and buy fresh baked goods. 

By fall time next year, Parmer said he hopes to have a hayride, games and more. Due to social distancing guidelines, they decided to hold off on some of the big pumpkin patch festivities. 

“The ultimate goal is to grow bigger and bigger each year,” Parmer said. “We want people to come out in the country, enjoy the fresh air and enjoy the fall. It’s such a great tradition to come out and take your kids.” 

Anybody can get a pumpkin at a store, but picking up a pumpkin from your local pumpkin patch makes for much more memories. 

“We look forward to pumpkin patches every year,” Parmer said. “We’ve been at pumpkin patches for 10 minutes before, but it was still memorable. It is the same thing with like apple and strawberry orchards.”

Abbotsford Farm has pumpkins the size of a small hand to pumpkins larger than a small child. They are also selling bumpy, lumpy, colorful heirloom pumpkins as well that are perfect for decorating and stacking. 

“A lot of people like the heirloom pumpkins, and we will be planting more of those next year,” Parmer said. “We also hope to plant giant seeds next year to have even bigger pumpkins than what we have now.” 

The Parmers have tended to the field for months, and finally saw all that work pay off at the start of October when dozens of families flocked to their pumpkin patch.  

“It wasn’t easy for sure,” Parmer said. “We ran into a fungus problem, so next year we want to be on top of that early. It is the same thing with pests because like any garden you learn year after year of what to do and what not to do.” 

The pumpkin patch will last until the end of October and end on Halloween. 

“A lot of people like going to these types of things, and so we will also market the agricultural side of our farm too,” Parmer said. “We’ve got approximately 300 small pumpkins and hundreds of the larger ones too.” 

Parmer said he’s a traditional pumpkin guy. 

“Most people want a big pumpkin with a big stem,” Parmer said. 

At the end of the day, Parmer said he hopes that families are able to now make memories at a pumpkin patch in LaGrange. 

“This has been my idea,” Parmer said. “But both of my parents, my wife and everyone has really put a lot of work into it. I just want it to be a success. We want locals to see our farm to table and enjoy everything we have to offer.”