Cooler weather, Halloween movies on television and brightly colored leaves decorating the streets means that pumpkin patches have opened their doors for the fall season.
The Nisqually Valley region is home to numerous pumpkin patches this fall, giving residents and visitors a wide variety of small farms and organizations to support. The following is a list of open pumpkin patches and what visitors can expect when they visit.
Pigman’s Pumpkin Patch
Pigman’s Pumpkin Patch, located at 10633 Steilacoom Road SE in Olympia, is open until Oct. 31. Pigman’s Produce, a six-acre vegetable and berry farm owned by Jan and Dean Pigman, offers a wide variety of pumpkins with its patch as well as other produce, including winter squash, persimmons and more. There is no cover charge for visitors.
“People can just come in and smile and have fun,” Jan Pigman said.
The Pigmans have hosted pumpkin patches for more than 30 years and are proud to grow their pumpkins organically.
“We don’t spray any poisons on the crops, and we leave the pumpkins in the field where people can actually get them out of the field,” Jan Pigman said. “They’ve been cut from the vines, but they can look through the field and pick what they like.”
Pigman’s Pumpkin Patch is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Learn more at https://www.loc8nearme.com/washington/olympia/pigmans-produce/8007292/
Rutledge Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Rutledge Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, located at 302 93rd Ave. SE in Olympia, offers a pumpkin patch and produce stand from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
The farm is family-owned and offers several activities during the fall season. While its regular corn maze is not available this year, people looking for a fright can visit Rutledge for its haunted corn maze. Other activities include a fire pit, swings, a cattle-roping practice station, corn hole and a Fall on the Farm event. The Fall on the Farm is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 31.
Pie pumpkins are priced at $0.55 per pound and are grown on the farm. Rutledge also sells mini pumpkins and mini gourds grown there as well as more “fancy” pumpkins like ghost pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins and warty pumpkins that are brought in.
“Ours isn’t the biggest pumpkin patch, but I believe it’s the best. It’s family owned, and it’s been here for a long time,” said Marsha McDonald, who works at the farm. “We’ve got all kinds of different fun activities for families to do on the weekend. We’ve got hard-working folks out here.”
Rutledge’s pumpkin patch will be open until Oct. 31.
Crossroads Community Covenant Church
Crossroads Community Covenant Church, located at 11520 Bald Hill Road SE in Yelm, is hosting its 12th annual pumpkin patch. The patch is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
The church hosts the pumpkin patch as a way to give back to the local community, specifically to raise funds for Yelm Dollars for Scholars and the Rainier Education Foundation. According to Crossroads Volunteer Coordinator Deborah Baker, the church raised more than $12,000 for the causes last year.
“It’s a small-town pumpkin patch, which is what our customers love about it,” she said. “It’s Yelm. It supports Yelm and Rainier kids.”
The pumpkin patch is free to visit, and there are several photo opportunities for families. Visitors can find a variety of traditional pie pumpkins priced by size, as well as colorful pumpkins that come in green, red and white.
Crossroads is also hosting a pumpkin-carving contest from now until Oct. 30 for children ages 14 and under. The church will award prizes for “most unique or creative,” “most adorable” and “best traditional design.” Awards will be announced by event sponsor Yelm Grocery Outlet on Nov. 3.
Hunter Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
Hunter Family Farm, located at 7401 Yelm Highway SE in Olympia, has offered a pumpkin patch for more than 30 years. Visitors are treated to much more than a wide selection of pumpkins; the farm also has corn mazes, wagon rides, farm animals, a pumpkin slingshot, cornhole and more.
Hunter Family Farm is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. It will be open until an announcement of closure.
Schilter Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
Schilter Family Farm Pumpkin Patch, located at 141 Nisqually Cut Off Road SE in Olympia, is a family-owned and operated farm that has served the South Sound for over 80 years. Visitors to Schilter’s Fall Harvest Festival can check out the farm’s two pumpkin patches, 5-acre corn maze and over 20 family-friendly activities including wagon rides, baby animal viewing, playgrounds for children, zip swings, paintball shooting and pony rides. There is also a seasonal gift shop, homemade food and drinks, farm market produce and a private fire pit for rent.
The farm is open from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays except Tuesdays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
As pumpkins typically last about a week once carved, farmers recommend baking pumpkins or feeding them to wildlife rather than throwing them away.
“Feed them to animals. Deer, cows and pigs will eat them. Even dogs will eat them. The seeds help prevent animals from getting worms,” Deborah Baker, of Crossroads Community Covenant Church, said.
“We donate a lot of our leftover pumpkins to the wolf haven, and we’ve done that for years,” Marsha McDonald, of Rutledge Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, added.
