LICKING COUNTY, Ohio — At Van Buren Acres in Licking County, fall fun is in full swing.
The family farm has invited visitors to take part in hayrides and visits with farm animals for the last eight years, but the highlight for many visitors is picking out a pumpkin.
“I like it when it is actually like a pumpkin, a round pumpkin shape, “ said Mycaela Massey, who comes with her family each year from Pickerington.
Putting on this year’s fall activities did not come without challenges from Mother Nature.
“I can plant the pumpkins, I can fertilize the pumpkins, I can spray the pumpkins to control the weeds, we can control the weeds by hand but I cannot like any farmer out there cannot control the weather,” said the co-owner Mark Van Buren.
He said he got just enough rain in time to have a harvest, but at times, he was concerned about how the season could turn out.
“So, our pumpkins this year were probably 30 percent less yield and also they are a little bit smaller but don’t worry we have plenty of pumpkins,” Van Buren said.
The dry conditions from the drought have also led to a lot of dust in the field, and on the paths. Sunflowers that are typically about six feet tall are now maturing at about half the size.
Van Buren is feeling lucky compared to other farmers in central Ohio, who he said did not have as much luck.
“One thing about farmers, we live through this, this isn’t the first time, we will make it, we will survive, we will be here next year,” he said.
Visitors should not worry. He said he has enough pumpkins to go around, but recommends people pick theirs out early this year.
“What’s also happening to us now is its 90 degrees now a year ago it was in the high 70s but when we continue to get the hot weather it affects the healthiness of the pumpkin sometimes they are rotting a little bit they start drying out and start to crack a little bit sooner,” he said.