The end of the day,
the end of the season.

photo by Brian Lovering

What's Going on...
.

October 28 - Sold Out for the season.  THANK YOU!  HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

October 23  - The Jack-o-lanterns are gone!  Not one left!  We have some squash, gourds, pie pumpkins and a few specialty pumpkins, but that is it!  It is funny, every year, we grow more pumpkins; every year several customers ask, "What will you do with all of those pumpkins that you don't sell?"  Maybe next year, I will figure that out...

Late October - It's almost Punkin Chunkin Season!  Time for the La Estrella Pumpkins to sail thousands of feet through the air as they are shot out of super high-tech air cannons at the Punkin Chunkin Nationals starting November 4 in Bridgeville, Delaware (televised on Thanksgiving).  And, who knows, maybe an Estrella grown right here at Intervale Farm will set a new record - without turning to pie-in-the-sky!  GO TEAM AMERICAN CHUNKER!!!

Be aware, lots of varieties are already sold out, so check out the 'edible pumpkins and squash' and 'decorative pumpkins, squash and gourds' pages to see what is still available.

Mid October: Things are moving quickly and we are sold out of several items already.  We're looking foward to a crisp, breezy weekend. In case you are wondering, this late into the season, there is no more you-pick available.

October: Now that we have dried up after last weekends drenching rains, wind, hail, and frost, we are once again enjoying beautiful weather.  Lots of pumpkins, squash and gourds are leaving the farm to go to their happy new homes.

Still Mid September: The new age group IRON MAN 70.3 series WORLD CHAMPION Mary Lou Lowrie, of New Gloucester, returned from winning the race in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada to load up on some Eclipse squash, one of her favorites. So, you know, when your mother or Mary Lou says "eat your squash. It will make you strong", you better believe it! Mary Lou completed the 70.3 mile triathalon in just 6 hours, 19 minutes and 15 seconds (swiming 1.2 miles in 47:46, biking 56 miles in 3:07:14 and running 13.1 miles in 2:16:15).

Mid September: We are harvesting all kinds of interesting looking cucurbits.  Are the deer communicating via hieroglyphics or are they just artistic?  Most of the time, the work of deer, woodchucks, and mice is random, but this piece of work caught my eye!

We have a HUGE harvest this year.  If you drive by, you can see the 'little field' from the road.  But the 'big field', which is over the hill, is filled with fantastic fruit!  Selection will be top notch for a good while!
 
Early September: My back is getting sore just looking at the crop of pumpkins.  They are big and beautiful!  The cucurbits took Irene in stride; they did not mind losing power for a few days; they took the three-inch rain event without complaint; and, not even one of them blew away!

If you are planning to come to the farm and you are coming through Gray, please note that the Depot Road is closed.

August: While the pumpkins are growing, the Intervale Farm team of runners (Audrey Garcia, Ben Garcia, Eric Wilcox, Jack Pierce, Lucy Wilcox, Robby Hall, and Will Shafer) gave UNUM a run for thier money!  The team ran the Beach to Beacon 10k road race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and came in second (Unum 1st) out of 19 teams. And these guys pick pumpkins almost as fast as they run!  Way to go guys and congratulations UNUM.

Late July: I have not mentioned this before, but this year we have two pumpkin patches. One small patch near the road and a larger patch over the hill.  So, if you are driving by and think maybe we are not growing too many pumpkins this year, keep in mind that we are actually growing more than ever!  And I would like to say that both of our pumpkin patches look absolutely perfect!  The weeds and insects have not been too much of a problem this year!  We could use more rain, but with the help of irrigation, the plants look fantastic.  Bees are buzzing and fruits are getting big!

Early June: After much rain, we finally were able to till the fields.  Tilling has stirred up items from the past.  Bits and pieces of Poland Spring china have been popping up all over the place.  About 40 years ago, pigs were pastured where the pumpkin patch is presently located.  The pigs were often fed garbage/food waste from the Poland Spring Inn.  This garbage was cooked and then fed to the pigs in the pasture.  It is amazing how much Poland Spring china and silverware keeps popping up here and there in the field.

April:  ...making plans for the fields!  This year we are excited to try the 'Perimeter Trap Cropping' method of controlling the evil-devil Striped Cucumber Beetle which tends to devistate immature pumpkin and squash plants.  We will plant the cucumber beetles' favorite types of cucurbits along the outside perimiter of the pumpkin fields and since the beetles enter the fields from the woods, they will stop to feast on the outside rows and if we need to, that is where we will zap them with an organic pesticide!  This environmentally and bee friendly method of insect control should eliminate the need to treat the entire field - pretty neat!  I hope to heck it works!  If it doesn't, you'll just have go buy your pumpkins at Walmart this year!

Late March: Seed are here!  We are adding some exciting new varieties to the line-up this year!  A few of these include the Seminole Pumpkin, a small, tan pumpkin that makes a great pie. When Seminole Chief Chekika was killed by the US Army in the second Seminole War, his body was hung from a tree.  The Seminole pumpkins, with climbing vines, dangling from the surrounding trees were shot down to the ground to add emphasis to this act! Yes, a pie with a history lesson! 
    Another new variety for us is the Speckled Hound, a medium sized tan fruit with blue-green splotches - can't wait to see it! 
    And, we are going to grow a new variety of giant pumpkin (~100+ pounds) that is sure to impress the neighbors; it is deep reddish-orange and a nice pumpkin shape that you will just be able to squeeze into your car!
    Oh, and if you need just the right pumpkin for your trebuchet in to go to the Punkin Chunkin Championship, we will have the La Estrella and the Lumina pumpkins - with just the right size and density to go the farthest distance! 
    I can't wait to see the Nicaise, a small version of the ever-popular Rouge vif d'Etampes French Cinderella pumpkin and the lumpy green Triamble.