NISLAND—Pumpkins galore plus a whole lot more have been delighting visitors at The Patch and spreading Halloween joy all season long. The Patch is a Halloween wonderland for kids and adults alike, created by Joyful Blooms Flower Farm, hosts of the annual Sunflower Festival.
Sharing pumpkins with the public was an idea put in motion a while ago and, with careful planning, has finally come to fruition this year. Owners Clint and Sarah Schwede turned part of their flower farm into a pumpkin patch just in time for the fall season. “We have about an acre, acre and a half of pumpkins. And they’re mostly all cut off the vine for everyone, but then you walk through and pick your own, and we have all 25 different varieties out there,” shared Sarah. “We have a lot of decorative squash and gourds, too!”
The Patch opened for the season September 26 and welcomed visitors every weekend, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The season wraps up this Saturday, October 31, with shortened hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., giving visitors one last chance to explore what The Patch has to offer this year. “We do a hay ride, a petting zoo, the corn pit, a lot of photo ops,” explained Sarah. “We have a whole toddler area—really a kid area, the tricycle track, you can climb on hay bales, and the petting zoo has been like the most fun for everyone, I think. And, of course, pick your own pumpkins!”
If you haven’t had a chance to visit The Patch, Halloween day is the perfect time to explore it. “So our last day is on Halloween, and for Halloween we’ll do like 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.—it’s a little bit shorter, but if you come in your costume on Halloween, our vendors will be passing out candy, and we’ll be dressed up, and you get a free pumpkin if you show up in your costume for the last hurrah of the season,” said Sarah.
The Patch hosts different vendors and food trucks to keep each weekend fresh, giving repeat customers something new to do each visit. “So we try to have one food truck or coffee truck each day, at least one, so people can eat and drink while they’re here… 5W Ranch is always here every weekend, and she’s selling the drinks and her baked goods and things. There’s always something to have while you’re here,” shared Sarah.
Next up at Joyful Blooms Flower Farm are Christmas workshops where participants can create their own festive wreaths for $65 or porch pots for $75. Workshops will be held November 21, 22 and 28 and December 5 and 6, with sessions at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day. All supplies and instruction are provided.
You can find The Patch and the upcoming workshops at 18950 Vale Cut Off Rd., Nisland. Make sure to look up and follow Joyful Blooms Flower Farm on Facebook to stay up to date on all that is happening there and to sign up for upcoming classes.
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