- Eifert's Family Farm in Williamston is open for the fall season selling pumpkins, gourds, squash and many other fall items.
- Owners Mary and Garth Eifert say it was a difficult growing season due to the unusually wet summer and animals destroying their supply.
- Despite the smaller growing season, they are fully stocked and ready to welcome people to the farm.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
It's officially fall and pumpkin season and Eifert's Family Farm in Williamston is open for the season.
In Williamston off of Noble Road sits piles of pumpkins. Among those gourds you'll find Mary and Garth Eifert who run the family farm.
“We've been doing it about 30 years now and we started out real small and every year we just plan a few more and kept getting bigger and bigger,” Mary said. "We have grandkids now that are involved and it gives them something to do in the summertime."
Every year the pumpkin picking is a family effort to open up for the last weekend in September.
“We just start picking Saturday, our other son and grandkids and daughter-in-law come and we have one great big day of picking up," Mary said. "And it was fun.”
This year, they opened on Oct. 1, a little later with less stuff to pick.
“We had so much trouble with stuff coming up that everything was late,” Mary said. "We waited till we had enough to fill the whole yard."
They say they'll run out of stock quicker than previous years.
“This is the worst year we've ever had because of the weather and the ground moles and everything,” Mary said.
Like many farmers, the Eifert's were affected by the unusually wet summer causing pumpkins sitting on the ground to rot, but Garth said it's the animals that caused the most damage.
“Our son has two acres down at his place," Garth said. "The deer there, he figured between $40 and $50 a day, destroying them, you can't sell.”
They've been open for the season less than a week and already know they'll run out of supply faster this year with none left over.
“Usually we have squash to donate to the churches," Garth said. "We're not going to have that this year.”
But they have plenty of pumpkins, big and small, for now, and are looking forward to welcoming people to their farm for the season.
“He's likes to sit in a chair now and watch people and talk to people," Mary said. "But it's nice to see people.”
Eifert's Family Farm is located at 336 Noble Road and will be open until the pumpkins are gone.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
