SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It may not feel like it, but fall is in full swing. That means a trip to the pumpkin patch may be coming up soon.

In this week’s Flashback Friday, we take you back to 2011 when a grower got ready for the season.

The orange is starting to show at the Garden of Weedin near Rowena. This year’s pumpkin crop is ripening, but not perfect for Mary Ann Stocer.

“Average is 50-70% production, which is down of course. I’d like 100%.”

But unlike other patches in other portions of the country, Stocer says she’ll have plenty this year. In fact, she planted double the pumpkins she needs. Now she’s spending sun up to sun down cutting the gourds from the vines, to get ready for customers.

“The other night, I just needed an extra half hour, so I actually turned the headlights on in the truck so I could finish.”

Pumpkins here do have some enemies like mold, bugs and even gophers. But to get the perfect pumpkin takes the perfect weather.

“Every plant likes it to be 65 to 85 degrees. You know they want the temperatures warm to grow.”

Despite the cold spring and hot late summer, Stocer and her dog Diesel appear to have plenty of pumpkins to tend to. So she says to not to worry about a shortage around here. Especially since she change variety of pumpkins this year, which appears to be paying off.

“I’m not speaking, I’m sure, for all the gardeners out there, but I think I’m going to have a good year, I hope.”

Near Rowena, Sean Nested, KELOLAND News.

If you would like to see more stories from our archive, click here.