Pumpkin Growers Have Variable Year
Published: Friday, October 19, 2018
This year is shaping up to be a good year for area pumpkin growers. Though some experienced problems with disease and weather extremes, the volume sold through the Wakarusa Produce Auction is one indication that growers had a better than average crop.
One local grower, Lyle Ramer, said he battled virus and insect problems but was able to produce a good crop this year at his farm near Wakarusa. He and his family grow traditional "porch" pumpkins, as well as exotics and other varieties.
His secret weapon this year, he said, was maintaining a bee hive to aid pollination.
Ramer markets his pumpkins through the Wakarusa Produce Auction. Two weeks ago, the auction reported record breaking sales of pumpkins and other fall crops. Auctioneer Brent Markley said demand from churches, daycares and other special interest groups is boosting prices.
The Wakarusa auction serves as a wholesale market in many cases. Many farm markets come there to stock up on pumpkins so they can resell them at higher prices.
That would include folks like John Miller, a farm market owner from Henderson, Ky. He visited Wakarusa twice last week to buy pumpkins for his retail operation.
"The prices are good and the quality is better than what we can get at home," Miller said.
He pointed out that not all pumpkins are equal in terms of quality. One indication of quality is the stem.
"The stem sells the pumpkin," Miller said, adding that a strong stem is preferable.
Another indication of quality is the water content. Ramer said you can determine that by thumping the pumpkin, like many people do with watermelons. A dull thud means the fruit contains a higher volume of water—and is likely to rot sooner.
At last week's auction, prices for 25-pound "porch" pumpkins averaged $1.79 apiece, but some brought as much as $4.
Greg Hineline of Chesterton was a buyer at last week's market. He operates a farm market in Porter County. He also grows pumpkins, but said he harvested about one-fifth of the normal volume this year. The reason? Poor weather.
"Too cold, too wet, too hot and too dry," he said with a chuckle.
Hineline said he didn't plant his crop on time due to a wet spring. Then, when he planted in late June, dry, hot weather set in, causing the plants to produce substantially more male flowers.
Being a retail farm market owner, Hineline was hit with a double whammy. Not only did he invest in a crop that didn't produce, but he also had to dig into his wallet to buy pumpkins raised by someone else.
"If you ain't got pumpkins, you ain't got nothing," he said of being a farm market owner.
For Ramer, the key to being a vendor at the produce auction is being "committed." For him, that means being at the auction every sale day and developing a reputation for producing a quality product.
The prices he earns varies, but he said he is guaranteed a payment every week. He started selling pumpkins the first week of September. He also sells mums and other fall crops.
According to the most recent sale report, prices for pumpkins are "gradually declining" as the season draws to a close. The final auction of the season will be Oct. 26.
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