October marks peak activity for pumpkin growers in Illinois, the leading producing state in the US. While consumer supply is not expected to be affected, weather conditions have created challenges in some regions.
At Eckert's Orchard in Belleville, eighth-generation grower Jack Lanxon reported production on 24 hectares of pumpkins, mainly for U-pick or on-farm sales. "We had a pretty wet spring and early summer, which really made for perfect planting conditions," he told FarmWeek. "But I think we only have 60% to 75% of a full crop due to poor pollination weather, including extreme heat and drought. It is hard on the plants and hard on pollinators to help pollinate the plants."
Harvest began in mid-September, with early-planted pumpkins showing good weight and color. Later sets, however, were affected. "I think it's really the stuff that sets a little bit later in the summer that we've maybe seen some lack of size and weight, although the color is great," Lanxon said. Despite reduced output, he noted that volumes should meet regular demand.
In Morton, known as the "Pumpkin Capital of the World," conditions were more favorable. "My decorative pumpkins may have produced the best crop ever for our final year," grower John Ackerman told FarmWeek. "Pumpkins generally like it dry within reason, and fortunately, they got the rain when they needed it early and only got exceptionally dry here after they set fruit."
Ackerman, who did not grow for processing this season, said local farmers contracted to Libby's reported yields of about 23 tons per hectare, with harvest two-thirds complete. "I heard the pumpkins are very solid, which is one of the characteristics they test for each year," he said.
Ackerman emphasized that results vary. "Pumpkins by their nature are a very fickle plant, and a rain at the wrong time can make it abort fruit and try to start over," he noted. "I feel bad for fellow growers who are having a rough time this year."
According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, Illinois harvested 7,125 hectares of pumpkins in 2022, more than twice the acreage of any other state. Illinois also led in yield, producing 634 million pounds (287,600 metric tons), exceeding the combined total of the next five top-producing states.
Source: CNHI
