ENTERTAINMENT

Despite rain, plenty of pumpkins

Anna Jeffries
Reporter
Pumpkins are available for purchase at Devine Farms in Hebron. The farm is just one of several places county residents can visit to purchase pumpkins.

NEWARK — Licking County's rainy spring might have made things difficult for local pumpkin growers.

But local farmers and business owners have used their resources to make sure there are plenty of big, orange pumpkins to go around.

Some local farms found their pumpkin patches persevered, despite the rain.

Andy Lynd, of Lynd Fruit Farm, said normal temperatures in July helped even out the wet weather in the spring.

His farm offers you-pick pumpkins and sells pumpkins at its market.

"Our size is down a little but our quality is good. We've got good shapes, good colors."

Roger Dupler, of Dupler's Pumpkin Land, also saw his crop improve as the summer went on. He sells a variety of pumpkins, from small ones to 40-pounders.

"It turned out to be a pretty decent crop," he said.

Other local farmers saw their pumpkin patches ruined by rain.

Virgil Hatch, of Legend Hills Orchard, said his family's pumpkin field didn't do very well. They've purchased other pumpkins, as well as a variety of gourds and squashes, for their market from other farms that had better pumpkin crops.

"Pumpkins are probably more expensive this year because it was so wet in early May and June," Hatch said.

Devine Farms, which sells pumpkins in its market, typically purchases large pumpkins and grows gourds, mini-pumpkins and pie pumpkins. But this year, heavy rains forced them to also purchase those small items from other farms, co-owner Ralph Devine wrote in an email.

Ralph and his wife Charla used several grower in Licking and Fairfield counties to get pumpkins, which they are very happy with, he wrote.

"Our Fairfield growers said that they received calls from northern Ohio and other parts of Ohio needing pumpkins, due to pumpkin crop failure," he wrote.

Need a pumpkin?

Whether you want to pick your own pumpkin, or find the perfect jack-o-lantern at the market, here are some Licking County businesses offering plenty of pumpkins.

  • Lynd Fruit Farm

9090 Morse Road SW, Pataskala

Call 740-927-8559 or go to www.lyndfruitfarm.com

The pumpkin patch will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until mid-October.

  • Devine Farms

672 National Road SE, Hebron

Call 740-928-8320 or go to www.devinefarms.com

Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

  • Pigeon Roost Farm

4413 National Road SW, Hebron

Call 740-928-4925 or go to www.pigeonroostfarm.com

Visitors can attend Pumpkinfest every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Nov. 1.

  • Dupler's Pumpkin Land

5766 Jacksontown Road, Newark

Call 740-323-2514 or go to www.facebook.com/DuplersPumpkinLand

Open noon to 7 p.m. Mondays- Fridays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

  • Legend Hills Orchard

11335 Reynolds Road, Utica

Call 740-892-2498 or go to www.legendhillsorchard.com

Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

  • Branstool Orchards

5895 Johnstown-Utica Road NE, Utica

Call 740-892-3989 or go to www.branstoolorchards.com

Open Mondays-Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ajeffries@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8544

Twitter: @amsjeffries