HONOLULU (KHON2) — With Halloween right around the corner, it could be time to bring out the carving knives and jack-o-lantern lights, and pick out some pumpkins, and it seems like there will be lots to choose from.
Pumpkin patches island-wide are ready for the Fall rush, and say that this year’s harvest has been a great one.
“So far this season is doing well, we have a variety of pumpkin,” said Stephanie Redona, Aloun Farms Event Coordinator. “Here you’ll find giant pumpkins, we also have our regular sized pumpkin jacks.”
The good season comes in spite of some up and down weather, such as a big rainout day over at Waimanalo Country Farms, which they say hasn’t affected the crops much – if at all.
“This whole year’s been good, all the way from the Spring we had a Spring harvest, we had a beautiful Summer Harvest, and now this ends it all,” said Dominic Kadooka, Co-Owner of Waimanalo Country Farms. “The weather’s been good, we did have one big rainout day, but we didn’t lose anything, so it wasn’t damaging rain at all.”
Kadooka says that some years can come with a little more challenge for the growth of pumpkins and other crops, especially leading up to the Fall season.
“Some years we don’t even get to make it to the Fall, because of the storms and all that kind of stuff,” said Kadooka. “Storms, the pigs, just things happen. But we made it all the way to the end, and so this is why we celebrate our Fall harvest festival.”
Waimanalo Country Farms says that, on top of getting more pumpkins onto the field, they will continue their family favorite activities like hay rides and sales of sweet corn and sunflowers.
Aloun Farms is preparing for its 23rd annual pumpkin fall festival, which will kick off this weekend.
But for some, the joys of the pumpkin season can come straight from the comfort of home.
“We used to carve the pumpkins, place them outside like decorations, and then as a family we would cut the pumpkins, take the seeds and then eat it after,” said Mililani resident Kevi Anzai. “That was always my favorite time in October. I didn’t even really like trick-or-treating all that much. So the pumpkin season definitely excites me.”