Seasonal gourds available at St. Luke Methodist Church

The Pumpkin Patch returns to St. Luke United Methodist Church from Sept. 23 to Oct. 31 (or until they run out).

Begun in 1990, only one year was skipped due to Covid. The church is located at 6012 Youree and will have assistance from Broadmoor United Methodist Church for the second year.

Prices range from $2 mini-pumpkins to larger $20-plus. “We measure to determine the price,” said Kristen Davis of the pumpkin patch committee and church lay leader.

The pumpkins come from a Navajo Indian reservation in New Mexico. The church’s website says it is the perfect environment for growing pumpkins, with high elevation, dry air, limited insect population and water availability. The full-time farm staff is around 30 people, and the seasonal staff is more than 600. The harvest payroll is more than $1 million. This tremendously impacts the region, with 13 percent unemployment and a median family income of $20,000.

Davis said customers use the pumpkins for cooking, class projects and Pumpkin Shine on Line.

Associated patch activities include:

• Oct. 1: Block Party 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 12: Pet Blessing with Ninna’s Rescue

• Oct. 18: Low-Key Service with Cole Vosbury with The Lovers. Davis said this is a service of recovery that is open to all.

• Oct. 26: Trunk or Treat 4 to 6 p.m.

• Story Time (schools register for days/times) “This year, we anticipate over 500 kids attending,” Davis said.

One hundred percent of sales go back into the community — a quarter of a million dollars to date. “Each year, after The Patch, we select different organizations to receive funds,” Davis said. Some organizations that have received funds include Oakwood Home for Women, The Highland Center, Volunteers for Youth Justice, The Renesting Project, Beulah’s Safe Haven, Plant a Seed and Common Ground.

Patch hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays, noon to 7 p.m. Cash, checks and cards are accepted.

“We have wagons and volunteers to assist with getting pumpkins to and loaded into your vehicle,” Davis said.

There are volunteers for set-up, unloading the 18-wheeler, daily workers, baked goods makers and Story Time. Cadets from Camp Minden assist with unloading day.

Davis said that if there are unsold pumpkins, they are donated to pig farmers.

The Facebook page can be found at St. Luke’s Pumpkin Patch.