If you are the type who likes to plan ahead, why not consider planning a home – based pumpkin patch business for next fall. If you enjoy growing things and have a large and easily accessible place to put your “patch”, you could have a lot of fun growing pumpkins with your family. A pumpkin patch requires advance planning and preparation, so now is a good time to think about what you will need.
Above all, you will need to educate yourself about how to grow pumpkins. Don Langevin has written a couple of good books about growing giant pumpkins using natural methods. If your pumpkin patch will be a family affair, choose a kid friendly book like “Pumpkin Circle” by Shmuel Thaler. The book is fun to read, has great illustrations, and really does explain how to grow pumpkins, too.
Once you have decided that growing pumpkins will work for you, find out what licenses or permits you will need and whether you will be able to get them. Next, get to work deciding what you will offer for sale. You may want to offer decorative gourds and colorful corn along with those pumpkins. You could take the idea even further by having a small snack area with warm cider and home made baked goodies for sale.
When the time is right, prepare the land for your pumpkins and plant those seeds. Monitor them carefully, and tend to them on a regular basis. As your pumpkins grow, think about how and where you will advertise your pumpkin patch, as well as what your hours of operation will be. You may want to consider having fun games or special activities on weekends, like face painting or hay rides (if you happen to have a tractor, some hay, and a wagon handy). Have fun and enjoy the season while providing an item that is sure to be in demand.
Photo by marshe13 on morguefile.com.