Local Resident Grows and Sells Unique Pumpkin Varieties at The Patched Pumpkin
Writer / Megan Arszman
Photography Provided
For Ashley Thomas, pumpkins and fall mean more than just the release of pumpkin-spice products. Its her favorite time of year to spend outside, and the highlight of her harvested bounty.
Ive always been obsessed with Halloween and fall, Thomas says. I had some time on my hands last summer, so I asked my parents if I could borrow a small chunk of land where they live to plant my own pumpkins.
The experiment wound up being a success, with Thomas planting, harvesting and selling her own pumpkins to family and friends. This summer she doubled her efforts, not only in the amount of pumpkins planted, but also the variety of pumpkins. The 2021 harvest from The Patched Pumpkin includes gourds, pumpkins with warts, pink pumpkins, and more pumpkins of different colors.
I just love doing it, Thomas says. If Im lucky enough to make a little money as well, thats just a bonus.
The Patched Pumpkin will be selling boutique pumpkins and gourds at her family farm in the western part of Boone County, from her home in Fishers, and at Harbor Trees Golf and Beach Club in Noblesville, where she is a full-time employee. Last year saw Thomas mostly selling from her front yard on the weekends. She also provided the opportunity to purchase her pumpkins with the honor system via Venmo while she was away at work.
The honor system worked a lot better than I thought, she says. Ill always have the traditional orange pumpkins that everyone likes to use for carving, but I always want to offer the types of pumpkins you cant just find at the local convenience store.
Thomas opted to find decor pumpkins, such as flat pumpkins that can be stacked on front porches, as well as textured pumpkins with warts, and pumpkins that come in out-of-the-norm colors like blue and pink.
Pumpkins of all sizes and shapes from The Patched Pumpkin allow buyers to decorate the inside and outside of their homes, which is what Thomas loves to see.
If you look at Pinterest or Instagram, thats what everyone is doing, so I wanted to offer that variety, she says.
Thomas favorite variety selling this year is called the Porcelain Doll variety, which comes in a peach color with a rounded shape.
Its definitely unique, so you wont see it everywhere, so I think people will really like that, she says.
As part of The Patched Pumpkins offerings, fans can purchase ears of Indian corn to be used for autumn decor, and enjoy a jar or two of fresh homemade blackberry jelly, canned with love by Thomas and her family.
To find out what pumpkins are ready for purchase and where you can find them, visit facebook.com/ThePatchedPumpkinINDIANA.
