Things are winding down at White Blossom Farms on Leigh’s Bay Road for another season. Jim and Allison Grisdale have worked hard all Spring and Summer bringing you the freshest vegetables and berries but now their attention turns to pumpkins.
“I started planting at the end of April or early May in a trailer” Allison Grisdale told FirstLocalNews.com “we have such a short growing season here, so it’s good to have the pumpkins a good size before planting outside”
Allison planted over 200 pumpkins this year. About 12 different types.
There’s small ones, large ones, in a variety of colours from black, pink or white and of course orange.
“When I seek out seeds, it is based on colour, shape and size and that they can grow in a one hundred day growing season” Grisdale added. “Almost every type of pumpkin is good for eating but they’re not all the same quality. I have three varieties that are considered a delicacy and also a specialty pumpkin for the seeds, those seeds are best for eating”
Allison says for a successful pumpkin you need to water them , especially if the ground is dry. The growing season started off late due to a drought this Spring. Jim and Allison had to wait ten extra days before planting the baby pumpkins this year. “Once the plant is big enough that its providing good leaf cover , it shades itself and conserves moisture”
When it comes to pumpkins for Halloween, the jumbo sized ones are first to go said Allison. “We start around labour day weekend harvesting the produce from beans to strawberries and corn” The pumpkins are on display in a large barn (along with some Halloween decorations) along with their fresh produce.
White Blossom Farms are open Thursday, Friday 11am to 4pm. Saturday 9 to 4pm and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.
Their beautiful farm is located at 607 Leigh’s Bay Road.
It makes for a great family outing. There’s a photo area for the kids in a Halloween themed display. You can pick out your pumpkins and even dress them up with a variety of stickers.
In the event there are left-over pumpkins, Jim and Allison donate them to charity.
