Local Growers Enjoying Successful Pumpkin Harvest

The ongoing drought in California is causing problems for this year’s pumpkin harvest in various parts of the state. Farmers in the northern California report pumpkins are smaller in size and quality this year. However, pumpkins on the Central Coast are looking good and could be even better than in years past.

“It’s been a great year for us,” said Dale Bostrom, of Summerset Farm & Dale’s Nursery. “We grew over 20 acres of pumpkins organically. We have 27 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash and it’s been a really good year for us.”

A number of other local pumpkin patches in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties report this year’s seasons is just as good, if not better than in past years.

Bostrom says this has been his best season since he joined Summerset Farm a few years ago. While dry weather has tightened its grip throughout the state, water has been not been an issue at the farm that’s located along Highway 154 in the Santa Ynez Valley.

“Fortunately we have a well,” said Bostrom. “We save all the water we can. We use drip and try and be water wise and pumpkins aren’t as thirsty as most people think.”

The drip system used is an efficient method of conserving water and is a successful in producing the popular Halloween plant. “It waters right on the plant, so you’re wasting water between the rows or sprays and it’s direct, direct to the roots of the plant,” said Bostrom. “You run it for hours and in deep water so the root, the water goes down “further into the ground so the roots go deeper so they don’t use as much water.”

While the recent heat wave damaged smaller pumpkins, it wasn’t enough to hurt what has so far been a successful season. Bostrom, though, is hoping the weather cooperates the rest of the month. “We want it to cool off because we will lose more pumpkins, but I think we’ll be okay, we’re almost to Halloween.”