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This year they opened the pumpkin patch on September 22 and will continue to sell pumpkins, squash and squash to their customers throughout Halloween, said Becky Cote. "Or, as long as we have pumpkins."
The hours are from 9h to 19h. Daily.
Every year, in the fall, Cote – one of the five children of Luke and the late Joyce Lutovsky – takes a few weeks of his full-time job in Fargo to lead the ongoing project for eight years.
"Last year, we did not even have any frost," she said. "This year we had to fight the snow."
But the family has taken extra steps to protect the pumpkins from freezing, even if they keep them out of the field.
"We tell people that they are very cool," Cote said.
The work of many "brothers and sisters, spouses, nieces and nephews" can make the pumpkin patch a reality, she said. "We plant seeds, weeds and harvest by hand."
They begin harvesting pumpkins in mid-September on five acres of land donated by sisters and brothers-in-law of Cote, Dawn and John Miller Jr. of Minto, ND.
Cote's brother, Darren Lutovsky, of Port Orchard, Washington, returns every fall for two weeks and his sister-in-law, Peggy Lutovsky, Scott Lutovsky's wife, "is also of great help," declared Cote.
They sell a variety of pumpkins, including "Jarrahdales", a blue-green variety from Australia, said Cote. "They have become popular in recent years."
The large pumpkins "Cinderellas" and "verrucous" as well as squash "Turbans Turk" are also good sales.
"The biggest pumpkin we had was 103 pounds," said Scott Lutovsky.
Too many pumpkins
Côté decided to launch the Voss pumpkin patch in 2011, taking the reins of a neighbor and parent, Ray Lutovsky, who grew pumpkins for his family and friends as a hobby. There were so many pumpkins that she decided to offer them to the public so that they would not be wasted, she said.
A sign on the "Suggested Price" fix lists, ranging from 50 cents to $ 5. If it's not monitored, customers are "on their honor" to leave their payment in a locked box, added Mr. Côté.
The Lutovsky family uses proceeds from the sale of pumpkins to fund worthy actions in the area, which once included the upgrading of a baseball field in Minto.
They will do the same thing this year, but they have not yet determined the causes of this support.
Regular customers
Each fall, Park River's customers, Grafton and Minto, N.D., flock to the pumpkin patch, Scott Lutovsky said. "Many are repeat customers."
"A guy from Edmore (N.D.) comes every year," Cote said. "And there's a guy from Fargo who comes to get pumpkins to decorate his house in the (historic) Eighth Street."
On Saturday, Lindsay Jelinek of Pisek, ND, and Jill Hell of Park River brought their children and some nieces to pick pumpkins.
"We have been coming every year for five years," said Jelinek. "Kids love to carve pumpkins, so they each have a big pumpkin and some to decorate."
Each year, Cote says that she and her siblings are wondering if they will come up with the pumpkin patch again, because "we're getting older" and it takes a lot of physical work. she said.
"And then, we hear someone say," Oh, we are so happy that you do that. ""
So the tradition continues.
"I love autumn, I love the place where I grew up," said Côté, looking around the yard filled with piles of pumpkins. "I love going home, it allows me to recharge my batteries."
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