Mother Nature takes bite out o

By Pam Sohn

Weather may have carved a notch in Tennessee's pumpkin crop this year, but it didn't hurt pumpkin sizes, according to local growers.

"This year we had to spray extra (to preserve the crop) because of so much rain, but we've got some great-size pumpkins," said Judy Cooper, daughter of Maw Hughes of Hughes Farm on Flat Top Mountain between Soddy-Daisy and Dunlap, Tenn.

Lisa Roberson, with R&R Kuntry Pumpkin Center in Pikeville, Tenn., said the late, heavy rains took about half of her crop -- rotting the would-be jack-o'-lanterns in the field -- but didn't affect the sizes of those left.

"We've got jack-o'-lantern sizes up to 60 pounds and prize winners in the 80- to 100-pound size," she said.

Tom Womack, spokesman for Chanel Cambon the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, said Tennessee ranked 12th in the nation for growing pumpkins in 2007, the most recent census year.

During that year, there were 454 farms growing pumpkins nationally, 266 of them in Tennessee. The Tennessee farms harvested pumpkins from 2,385 acres, but those numbers were down from 2002 when 332 farms harvested 3,742 acres of pumpkins, Mr. Womack said.

Pumpkin census counts are taken every five years, he said.

Hamilton County Extension Agent Tom Stebbins said pumpkin growing in Tennessee still contributes about $5 million replica gucci to the state's economy each year.

"Each acre produces 800 to 1,200 pumpkins," Mr. Stebbins said.

The pumpkins, used as much for autumn decoration as for food, also help feed Tennessee's growing agri-entertainment and agri-tourism businesses.

This year, officials with Rock City's Enchanted MAiZE purchased 400 Jack B Little Pumpkins for pumpkin painting at the maze and 130 pumpkins for the Rock City park, spokeswoman Meagan Jolley said.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture marketing specialist Rob Beets said Tennessee pumpkin numbers are down, in part, because farmers in recent years had trouble with stem rot and other diseases.

"And there was a lot of competition, so growers were not getting good return on their crop," he said.

Ms. Cooper planted 12 acres of pumpkins on her Soddy-Daisy farm this year, compared with 30 to 40 acres in previous years. She grew pumpkins this year mostly just for the regional stands, she said.

PICK THE RIGHT PUMPKIN

Size and shape have no bearing on how long a pumpkin will last but other things will.

Look for:

* Stems that are still green and firmly attached.

* Firm and unwithered pumpkins with no soft spots. A touch of green or warts are fine.

Source: Tennessee Department of Agriculture

GROWERS

* R&R Kuntry Pumpkin Center

Lisa Roberson

Pikeville, Tenn.

louis vuitton Monogram Canvas

423-447-6352

* Hughes Farms

Judy Cooper

Jones Gap Road,

Soddy-Daisy

423-3
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