It’s that time of year again, when the air turns crisp and cool, the leaves change colors, and pumpkin patches begin to pop up all over the place.
In Dayton, Texas, there’s one pumpkin patch that’s particularly special – the fifth annual fundraiser pumpkin patch hosted by First Methodist Church, 106 S. Cleveland St. Proceeds of the pumpkin patch go toward various community outreach programs for the Church.
The pumpkins arrived on Sunday and are as beautiful as ever, as if the summer drought never happened. That’s because the pumpkins were trucked to Texas from North Carolina, where they grown to perfection in various shapes and sizes. The pumpkins range in price from $1 to $20. Some are the traditional orange variety while others are fairytale pumpkins, which come in other color variations.
The event’s success over the years can be attributed to the teamwork of the Dayton community. It takes a lot of horsepower to unload an 18-wheeler carrying 44,000 pounds of pumpkins and a lot of manpower from dozens of local youths and church members who placed the pumpkins on wooden pallets lined up in rows on the church lawn.
Kelsey Conner, one of the organizers of the event, said that it took two hours for the pumpkin patch to be set up on Sunday.
“We had help from the National Honor Society students, Dayton football team, ROTC and girls soccer,” Conner said. “Scott Batley helped us unload the pallets of pumpkins with his tractor.”
The pumpkin patch will officially open for business this Thursday, Oct. 5. The hours of operation are Thursday and Friday, from 1 to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you visit, bring your camera or cell phone as there are photo-worthy backgrounds scattered among the pumpkin patch.
Field trips by local schools, daycares and church groups are encouraged and can be arranged by contacting Conner at 409-679-4946.
