LUBBOCK, Texas — Assiter Punkin’ Ranch will open its pumpkin patches up to the public on Saturday, Sept. 23, just in time for fall. Once they open, people will be able to participate in activities and browse through thousands of their pumpkins.
EverythingLubbock.com visited the ranch on Thursday to get a look into how they’re preparing for the height of pumpkin season. According to Tim Assiter, the head wrangler of the ranch in Floydada, they can’t wait for people to come out to their patches.
“One of my favorite things about the pumpkin patches is watching the kids … when they smile and take those pumpkins home, that’s my favorite part,” Assiter said.
Before opening up to the public, they’ve been busy shipping pumpkins to grocery stores all around Texas. However, some recent rain showers have made it harder for them to do this. Assiter said the rain is a little too late as they needed it more in the hotter summer months.
“We don’t need this rain right now. We need to get these pumpkins out,” Tim Assiter said.
Their pumpkins struggled in the high heat. According to Assiter, they lost 35 to 40 percent of their usual yield to harsh weather.
“The weather this year — hot is not a pumpkin’s friend,” Assiter said. “They did suffer during the heat this summer and so we’re seeing the results of that now.”
Assiter said the loss in yield won’t affect the cost of the pumpkins, though. He said shoppers might see a slight increase in the price of pumpkins because of freight and the higher cost of materials for farmers, but Assiter said the price tag should not look much different than last year.
He said the pumpkins at Assiter Punkin’ Ranch will range from $1 to $100, depending on the size of the pumpkin. The ranch will be open until Halloween.
