Slice of Life: What it's like to run Kuipers Family Farm

MAPLE PARK – The stem fell off the 30-pound pumpkin as soon as Kuipers Family Farm owner Wade Kuipers pulled on it.

“It’s rotted,” he said, as he examined the pumpkin. “Mice had a few nibbles on it.”

Another pumpkin was green instead of the bright orange color one would expect for this time of year.

"It got pollinated late," Kuipers said. "It didn't have enough of a growing season."
With Halloween just around the corner, this is a busy time for Kuipers and his staff, who are working to keep up with the demands of people seeking pumpkins to carve, or perhaps bake into a pie.

Unfortunately, he said, this year’s crop won’t be as good as last year’s.

He blamed rainy weather for the problems with this year’s crop.

“Thirty to 40 percent of the crop is not good because of all the rain we had in the spring and summer,” Kuipers said. “Pumpkins like it when it is dry. The moisture is what brings out diseases.”

Last year was a different story. Kuipers Family Farm enjoyed a bumper pumpkin crop. Kuipers said he didn’t even harvest seven acres last year because it was such a good crop. Now, Kuipers also has to worry about frost damaging the pumpkins.

“It froze the other night, and they got nipped a little bit,” he said. “I think they are done growing. We always want to keep them fresh, so we keep them on the vine as long as possible. A pumpkin will last a month in the right conditions.”

Kuipers’ father owned Kuipers Produce on Fabyan Parkway near Geneva, where Windy Acres Farm is now located.

The job entails some early morning hours. He said he usually gets up at 5 a.m., and he is out of his house by 6:30 a.m.

The job also involves some tender loving care. Kuipers checks on his pumpkin crop three times a week.

He also is in charge of the apple orchard and Christmas tree farm at Kuipers Family Farm.
For those looking for a pumpkin that stands out a bit, Kuipers also sells blue and even pink pumpkins along with the traditional orange pumpkin. A portion of the sales of the pink pumpkins will go to breast cancer research, Kuipers said.

"We like to create a venue where they can get stuff they have never seen before," he said.
Kuipers and his employees continue to harvest this year's pumpkin crop, but he is already planning for next year's crop.

“I am making notes on this year’s crop, what I liked and what did well,” Kuipers said.

He has some words of advice for those who plan to carve a pumpkin for Halloween – “Don’t carve it until a week before Halloween to make it last longer.”

If you go

Local places that sell apples and pumpkins:

•Abbey Farms, 2855 Hart Road, Aurora, 630-966-7775; info@abbeyfarms.org; www.abbeyfarms.org

•Ben’s Giant Pumpkins & Farm Market, 43W200 Jericho Road, Sugar Grove, 630-466-1331, jkov200@aol.com

•Blackberry Creek Farm, 44W099 Finley Road, Sugar Grove; 630-557-0050, www.facebook.com/pages/Blackberry-Creek-Farm/331398360203617

•Gould Cider Mill, 2S230 Green Road, Elburn, 630-365-2233, www.facebook/gouldcider

•Green Fields Farm, 0S951 Green Road, Elburn, 630-365-3903, berries@andersale.com

•Heritage Prairie Market & Education Center, 2N308 Brundidge Road, Elburn, www.hpmfarm.com

•Kuipers Family Farm, 1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park, 815-827-5200, www.kuipersfamilyfarm.com

•Norton Farm, 39W369 Route 64, St. Charles, 630-377-8118, www.nortonsproduce.com.

•Pushing the Envelope Farm, 1700 Averill Road, Geneva, 630-578-3313, genevafarm@gmail.com

•Spring Bluff Nursery, 41W130 Norris Road, Sugar Grove, 630-466-4278; www.springbluffnursery.com

•Stojan Vegetables, 2N874 Howard Road, Maple Park, 815-827-3265, stojans.vegetables@gmail.com

•Wasco Nursery, 41W781 Route 64, St. Charles, 630-584-4424, www.wasconursery.com.

•Wiltse Farm Produce, 50W379 Route 38, Maple Park, 815-739-2573, www.wiltsefarm.com.

•Windy Acres Farm, 37W446 Fabyan Parkway, Geneva, 630-232-6429; www.windyacresfarmstand.com

Source: Kane County Farm Bureau