‘Oh my gourd’ pumpkin season is back on Central Coast

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- Pumpkin patches on the Central Coast are getting busier as we get closer to Halloween.

Gourd after gourd – pumpkin after pumpkin – giant pumpkins to small ones – and mazes too. Friday was a great day to be out at Borchard farms.

“This is our 40th year now of growing giant pumpkins kind of started out as my dad’s hobby, it was his hobby growing the giant pumpkin,” said the owner of Borchard Farms, Mark Borchard.

“We have now over 61 verities going back about 30 years ago we opened it up to the public for field trips and school events,” said Borchard

What were the growing conditions like with so many pumpkins to choose from?

“This year, the weather was more favorable for growing pumpkins,” according to Borchard.

While there are many pumpkins here in Salinas, that’s not the case everywhere in California.

“I know other areas that grow pumpkins, like in the San Joaquin Valley; they’ve had drought," said Borchard. "They’re had some really hot temperatures about a month ago that had an impact on their crop.”

The folks here at Borchard farms are not just carving out profit – they’re also giving to a “great pumpkin” cause.

We probably get about 30 local schools for field trips, some we have a dozen special needs groups that come out, and it’s all free we donate to these programs, it’s about 50,000 in donations every year.” 

Borchard farms are open daily from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. through Halloween.