What is it about humans that drives us to seek the fastest, the biggest, the best, of everything? That’s how we measure our success. So it is with farmers and pumpkins.
Every Autumn hundreds of thousands of people come to a sleepy little farm community outside of San Francisco for the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. There’s a pumpkin parade, pumpkin king and queen, pumpkin eating, carving and judging contests and everything to do with pumpkins - even a pumpkin lager from the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company. The highlight of the event is the World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. The 2007 winner weighed in at an unbelievable 1524 lbs. (That’s ¾ of a ton!) Does size really matter? It does in pumpkins. Just ask Farmer John Muller of Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County, CA.
Farmer John is an engaging and outgoing fellow who is very involved in his community. Everywhere I went in Half Moon Bay, when folks heard I was visiting him they’d invariably ask, “Please tell him I said Hi!” I soon found out why. He wears a self-deprecating smile and gentle humor as comfortably as his well-worn pair of Carharts. His neighbors know him as a sincere dirt-under-his-fingernails farmer who speaks emotionally and passionately about his farm as a strictly agricultural family destination. Farmer John runs a real pumpkin farm on the west side of Route One near the center of town. As any farmer must, he and his wife are creative in their revenue generating projects. Besides the usual corn, veggies and pumpkins, probably his most bizarre moneymaking engagement is the photo opportunities he offers for pets. He explained, “Autumn weekends are real family events here. This is the first farm most youngsters in the San Francisco area ever see. People once brought here by their parents now bring their children to continue the tradition of picking their own pumpkins, and to get photographed on my tractor. Some of these “children” are people’s pets, so - yeah - we have photo opts for them too.” Needless to say, human children get photographed here as well - on the tractors, in the fields, next to the sunflowers - wherever they like. Farmer John is most accommodating when it comes to promoting his farm. He calls it his “fields of emotion”.
His other entrepreneurial endeavors include growing carved pumpkins, and growing oddly shaped ones such as “pumpkins in a bottle”, or “pumpkins in a box”. In all, he grows 80 varieties of pumpkins from around the world in his pick-your-own patch. When I asked about the pre-carved ones he said, “My wife came up with the idea. She scratches designs and messages on the young pumpkins and we grow them. People order wedding pumpkins, birthday pumpkins, and pumpkins for all occasions with whatever they want carved in them.”
The Mullers also host corporate events, and supply pumpkins as party favors and for photo shoots. “You know that Williams Sonoma catalog you see in the fall with pumpkins on the cover? They buy them from me in the Spring, I always keep a few over the winter for just such occasions. People call me from all over the country for pumpkins.”
On top of all that, Farmer John admits to being an official Pumpkin Kook. His secret passion is to grow giant pumpkins. “Last year we had one over 800 lbs.” he bragged. What he didn’t say was that at 814 pounds it was a local record, netting him $500 in prize money. Encouraged by that success, this year he started 20 plants, of which 4 or 5 were chosen. Those were the plants he coddled and pampered all season. With luck, they’ll produce another giant or two for the 2008 competition.
“Besides all the work around the farm, my wife and I do the farmers market every Wednesday and Saturday. We sell greens and herbs. That’s a lot of work. Get up early to pick and pack the truck. Get to the market and set up, spending the day selling, and packing up to come home again where the truck still has to be unpacked. You know, around seven o’clock at night after a day like that and it’s touch and go which one of us has the energy left to go tend the big pumpkins.” While most growers are secretive about their techniques, Farmer John did say the cool nights on the coast are not ideal for pumpkin growing, so he puts his pumpkins to bed covered with blankets. On really cold nights he uses electric blankets! Now that’s some pampered pumpkins!
Businessman, entrepreneur, raconteur, husband and steward of the land, in Half Moon Bay, Farmer John is Mr. Pumpkin.The 2008 Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is held on October 18th & 19th. It is the 38th annual event featuring a parade, carving contests and demonstrations, pie eating contest, and a myriad of prizes for the best pumpkins. I hope you can get to it this Autumn, but, West Coast or where ever, be sure to seek out your local farmer and buy his pumpkins in the field. Enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and open space. Take the kids - make a day of it! Maybe get some fresh veggies while you’re at it. And be sure to pick out the largest pumpkin you can find. Size really matters!
RECIPE - Pumpkin Chips
Thinly slice pumpkin (I used a mandoline) Fry in batches in a couple of inches of hot oil until crisp. Drain well. Salt to taste and serve.
San Mateo County Tourism
http://www.visitsanmateocounty.com
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
http://www.miramarevents.com/pumpkinfest/
Richard Frisbie, FOOD Correspondent:
RICHARD FRISBIE is published twice a month to Gather Essentials: Food. It is a food junkie's take on growing, raising, preparing and - above all else - eating food. Together we’ll explore the trends, addictions, equipment and regional specialties that make up the sometimes mundane and sometimes sublime cooking and dining experience. You can keep up with my other postings and Gather activity by joining my Gather network -- I look forward to hearing from you.
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BIO - Richard Frisbie writes culinary travel articles, is a columnist for his local newspapers, and is a regular contributor to the many Hudson Valley, Catskill Mountain and other regional New York publications. Online, he writes frequent articles for EDGE publications, GoNomad and Travel Lady, as well as Gather.
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Comments: 16
Thanks Christine - I've been waiting for the right season to publish this. Glad you liked it.
Gotcha! Madame - the HVW&FF will be next. I'm still ruminating on the subject of wine & food.
We used to walk to the local farm for pumpkins, now we drive. At least we have a local farm! Thanks for keeping up the tradition, Kimberly.
Hey Sophie - 700lbs is BIG - the local (San Mateo farmers) contest had a 500 lb third place winner.
That's a nice family tradition to start. Walk her through the fields and pick out a couple. Thanks for commenting, Minipin.
Sounds like a nice fruitful area to live in! Thanks for stopping by, Marilyn.