Garden of Weedin'

 What are Pumpkin Picking Days?

Each year we offer two weekends of fun when you can go into our pumpkin patch and choose your own pumpkin. 

Once you have chosen your pumpkins, one of our volunteers will give you a ticket with the number of pumpkins you have selected written on it.  Proceed to the Produce Shed to check out our other decorating items and fresh veggies.  

We will have "special" pumpkins available at the Produce Shed, including white pumpkins, goosebump and Cinderella pumpkins.  Prices of the special pumpkins vary - the prices will be posted at the Produce Shed as well as on our "The Price List" page.

Also available for decorating will be mini orange and white pumpkins and mini gourds.  We will also have large gourds, birdhouse gourds (decorated or dried), Indian corn, new earthtone Indian corn, bales and corn shocks (regular size and mini).

Of course we will have a large variety of delicious fresh picked veggies for you to chose from - incluing a variety of squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, melons, tomatoes, onions & peppers, plus fresh herbs and much, much more.  Available items will be listed on "The Produce Shed" page.  Select the quantity you need - our items are not pre-packaged.

Our volunteers are available to assist you with loading bales and shocks.  They will also be available to answer your questions.

Mary Ann will have a harvest display set up for you to use a backdrop for your pictures - a great idea for holiday cards.  Be sure to bring your camera.  If you forget, we will have cameras available for sale in the Produce Shed. 

There is no charge for admission or pictures.  You only pay for the pumpkins and produce you choose.

Mary Ann & Galen (and Diesel, of course) will be on hand to greet customers.  But did you know that the rest of the people working in the Pumpkin Patch and the Produce Shed were family & friends who volunteer their time and put in some long hours to make Pumpkin Picking Days a success and help keep prices low? 

Cash & checks only.  Sorry, we cannot accept credit or debit cards.

We greatly appreciate your paying with the smallest bills possible. 

Storage Tips for Pumpkins

• Wash the pumpkins in a very mild chlorine bleach solution.  Use 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water.  This will destroy bacteria that causes the pumpkins to rot.
• Allow the pumpkin to dry completely.
• Store the pumpkin in a cool, dry place (if possible).
• Avoid storing the pumpkin in hot, humid places.
• Pumpkins are best stored on a board or a piece of cardboard.
• Do not store the pumpkin on a cement floor as it can cause the pumpkin to rot.
• Do not store the pumpkin on a good rug - if the pumpkin rots, it could ruin the rug.
• Store at 45 to 60 degrees, up to a month, or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Some visitors like to bring an old pair of shoes to wear in the pumpkin patch.  If it rains, it will be muddy. 

A pumpkin that has some bug bites is still a good pumpkin as long as it is firm & solid.  Wash the pumpkin as indicated at the bottom of the page and it will be just fine! 

See pictures from Pumpkin Picking Days 2011 on the Garden of Weedin' Facebook page.

         Important!

        Please read:

Please DO NOT pick up or carry pumpkins by the stem!!

The stem of a pumpkin cannot support the weight of the pumpkin.  The stem will break off and the pumpkin will fall and break.   We know that the children are excited to choose their pumpkin, but we ask that you please tell your children not to pick up pumpkins by the stem.   We hope you understand that this is our business - not a hobby.  Pumpkins are the product we sell.  Just as a store cannot sell damaged merchandise, we cannot sell pumpkins that have been broken or had the stems broken off.

Mary Ann works hard all summer to have pumpkins for you and we have kept our prices low.  Please help us to continue to be able to provide our pumpkins at our low prices! 

As a South Dakota licensed business, we are required to charge 4% sales tax.