Bengtson’s, Cottonwood farms begin fall fests despite tough growing season

While the pumpkin yield may not be spectacular this year – thanks to the unusual summer weather – two major pumpkin farms in Will County still are preparing for their annual pumpkin festivals.

Both Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen and Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm in Crest Hill are kicking off their festivals Sept. 26, continuing family traditions that span decades.

“We just do this to help families continue the tradition,” said Jeremy Bengtson, who helps run Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm. “There are a few people out there who maybe came when they were 12 years old and now they’re bringing their kids.”

Pumpkins are a staple of Will County: Typically more than 90 percent of processed pumpkins in the country are grown in Illinois, according to data from the University of Illinois Extension. Will County is rated a top-five pumpkin producing county in the state.

But because of the wet weather and late onset of summer heat, pumpkins are arriving late, said James Theuri, a local food systems and small farms educator at the University of Illinois Extension.

“This year has been weird,” Theuri said. “It’s been the coldest and wettest for the longest time.”

Theuri, who said the pumpkin yield is expected to be average this year, said optimal growing conditions require proper water and warmth.

This summer has been uncharacteristically cool. The mean temperature in August was 1.9 degrees cooler than last year, according to National Weather Service data for the Chicago-O’Hare area.

Theuri said this slowed the development of growth; pumpkins grown in the area didn’t accumulate enough “growing degree days,” a unit of heat measurement that compares daily maximum and minimum temperatures with a base temperature for pumpkin development.

“We’ll always have plenty. We always do,” Bengtson said. “But it’s a pretty rough year for pumpkins.”

Bengtson said wet ground leads to quicker pumpkin rot and a thriving fungal infection that takes out a significant portion of crops.

Kaity Siegel, owner of Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm, said the wet weather has led to delayed pumpkin maturation.

“Pumpkin farming is very weather sensitive,” Siegel said. “The rainy weather flooded the pumpkin fields and it retained more water.”

Theuri said the water saturation in the soil doesn’t allow oxygen to the roots of the pumpkin crop.

But he said as the weather gets colder this time of year, it signals the pumpkins to stop feeding and start seeding.

“At least as long as it doesn’t warm up again,” he said.

Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm is celebrating 25 years of its Pumpkin Fest by kicking off with a salute to the military.

Sept. 26 and 27 is Military Appreciation Weekend, with free general admission for military personnel and immediate family and special guest appearances by characters from the movie “Frozen” on Sept. 26 and movie guide Svengoolie on Sept. 27.

The Pumpkin Fest, 17250 Weber Road in Crest Hill, contains more than 30 attractions, including cornfield mazes, hayrack rides, zombie paintball and animatronics.

This year, the farm is adding a special zone appealing to dads.

“The [Bug’s Barnyard] Ball Zone is one of our new attractions,” Siegel said. “We decided to add something that dads can do with the kids.”

The farm also added a 5-in-1 fairyland inflatable attraction and has turned what used to be the Fort Cottonwood theme into Port Cottonwood.

At Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm’s 2015 Pumpkin Fest, 13341 W. 151st St. in Homer Glen, camel and pony rides, a kid’s village, a pumpkin chucker cannon, pig races and several amusement rides are just a few of the attractions.

The farm has added a gemstone and arrowhead mining sluice to the event.

“Kids can purchase different size bags and hit pay dirt,” Bengtson said. “It’s the same dirt that comes out of mines. They can use a sluice under water to mine for gems or arrowheads.”

Both pumpkin fests will be open daily from Sept. 26 to Nov. 1. Siegel’s will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Bengtson’s will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“It’s just a great time with the family,” Siegel said.

---

If you go

Siegel’s Pumpkin Fest

WHERE: Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm, 17250 Weber Road, Crest Hill

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 26 to Nov. 1

COST: General admission is $15, children younger than 2 are free. Military and their immediate family are free Sept. 26 and 27, and first responders and their immediate family are free Oct. 3 and 4.

INFO: www.ourpumpkinfarm.com

Bengtson’s Pumpkin Fest

WHERE: Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm, 13341 W. 151st St., Homer Glen

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sept. 26 to Nov. 1

COST: General admission is $14.99 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Columbus Day and $9.99 on Mondays to Thursdays. Children younger than 2 and military with a military ID are free.

INFO: www.pumpkinfarm.com