I love this time of year. Not only is this one of the most productive periods for the nation’s biggest producer of pumpkins, Frey Farms, where I serve as Director of Business Development, but this month also brings back fond memories of fall harvest events.
Most kids absolutely love this time, too – because of all the fun surrounding Halloween. Way back when I was five years old, when Parrot Jungle was, well, Parrot Jungle here in town, I remember winning the big costume contest. I beat out 50 other kids with my amazing homemade alligator costume that my mom made for me. I also remember nearly roasting to death inside that thing. But that’s the price you pay for fame…
It seems no matter where you go during October, you’re sure to be surrounded by the pervasive pumpkin. It provides a welcome splash of autumn color at community events and schools, at your doorstep and dinner table. This is the prime time of year to find them – you can barely make it through a store without tripping on one of these large orange squashes.
In fact, odds are, if you’ve been to any of the top 25 retailers in the country, you bought a pumpkin from Frey Farms. Frey pumpkins are grown in so many states that we’re basically your local pumpkin farm. Even the local pumpkin patches buy from us to meet their local demand.
The same goes for local grocery retailers, like Publix who buys from us. We all know they have a long history of buying and selling local products, but when it comes to pumpkins, they don’t have much of a choice but to source from outside the state. No one really grows pumpkins here because Florida’s high heat and humidity are not kind to the pumpkin.
As a result, by helping Publix meet the demand for pumpkins, Frey Farms has over time developed a great relationship with them – and in other ways, too. It truly has been a joy working with Publix because of their deep commitment to philanthropy. And Frey has enjoyed engaging with them, partnering to support local communities in so many ways. They are one of our favorite retailers to work with.
So, ‘tis the season to trot to the store to pick up a pumpkin – to transform it into a jack-o-lanterns, the universal symbol of the harvest celebration. However, the pumpkins generally used for carving are not the kind you normally eat – they are larger, have strong walls, and a large hollow cavity. I’m amazed how creative people can be with the proper carving tools – although my childhood jack-o-lanterns always looked a little crazy.
But they’re not just for carving. Pumpkins are an extremely healthy food source. Full of potassium, fiber, vitamins – and one of the best known sources of beta carotene, which helps protect against asthma and heart disease.
They are such a strong rich source of nutrients because as they grow, they literally take everything out of the soil – all the nitrogen vitamins, and minerals the soil has to offer – to the point where you can’t grow pumpkins in the same field year after year. I mean, the land can be used for other products – just not immediately for pumpkins.
Which lends to a phenomenon shared among farmers, something we refer to as the “cyclical karmic voice.” Honestly, have you ever noticed that even with all divisiveness these days in our country, issues around agriculture are rarely politicized? Farmers just naturally work together. There’s a sense that if one farmer is hurt, the rest will be hurt.
Pumpkin growing truly personifies the harmony that exists between us. When one farmer exhausts his soil growing pumpkins, he knows he can swap his field out over the next few seasons to another farmer to use for other less-demanding crops. It’s really refreshing to be able to work together like this.
In fact, this esprit de corp permeates the entire retail and food-service business. Even though we’re all competing, we tend to work in harmony. This one of my favorite aspects of working in agriculture.
Pumpkins are a good thing. They’re good fun and they’re good for you. So whether you’re carving a Halloween masterpiece, munching a handful of oven-roasted seeds, or simply savoring a slice of warm pumpkin pie, I hope your family have a wonderful fall, y’all!
About James Field: James is committed to keeping in touch with the Pinecrest community and hopes you welcome his insights on issues affecting Village residents. James grew up in Pinecrest, graduated UM, and is currently director of business development for a large agriculture company. He also founded Dogmadik, a supply-chain management company for emerging restaurant brands. Please send an e-mail to jfieldjr@gmail.com with questions or comments.
