How Kentucky’s dry weather stretch is impacting pumpkin picking season

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Nothing says fall is truly here like a trip to the Pumpkin Patch, but your local patch might look a little different this year.

“It will be a good crop this year. We have a great crop of pumpkins out in the field,” shared Megan Fields.

With October starting this week, more people are carving out some time for picking pumpkins, but Eckert’s Orchard Farm Manager Megan Fields has been prepping her pumpkin crop for months.

“We plant pumpkins mid-June typically, they are in the ground somewhere between June 10 and June 15,” Fields explained.

And while the start to our year here brought plenty of rain, marking one of the wettest first 6 months of the year on record, Fields says by planting time things were perfect- “At that point the rain had slowed down just a little bit, so it was really perfect planting time. At this point. We are just trying to keep them from getting scorched by the sun.”

Kentucky’s recent dry weather and sunshine haven’t been the best for the already ripe pumpkins – just like people, pumpkins can get a bit of sunburn too, with fields saying, “When you have dry like this, and a whole lot of heat and sun, you start to have some rot out in the field. But most definitely they can get sunburned.”

But don’t worry, Fields and her crew have prepped and maintained plenty of picturesque pumpkins at Eckert’s Orchard – and while it might not feel like fall, her advice is to head out the door now to pick your perfect pumpkin.

Eckert’s Orchard is already open for pumpkin picking and apple picking this season. They will stay open until November 1.