Walter's Pumpkin Patch ... Where Fall Begins!

Becky was the city gal who married the farmer. As hard as she tried, she wasn't a contender for the role of hired hand. Livestock scared her to death, and driving a big green tractor with equipment attached scared her even more! Looking for her niche on her husband's family farm, led her to planting pumpkins after her employer at the local greenhouse suggested she might want to plant some of those miniature pumpkins that the florists were using in their designs. The Walters made twice as much money selling those miniature pumpkins one at a time as they would've on the field with any other traditional Kansas crop. Since those days back in the late 1980s, the Walters have developed their agritourism facility into 73 acres of harvesting memories. With 20 acres of pumpkins grown, a five-acre corn maze and the rest devoted to educating the public about the Flinthills and fun activites for the family, the Walters' Pumpkin Patch has become the destination.

When Becky developed the pumpkin salsa, she knew she wanted a pumpkin shaped canning jar. She called Anchor Hocking and was told that it would cost $30,000 just to make up the mold for a pumpkin jar. At that time, Carroll's mom (who was their biggest cheerleader for the pumpkin patch) had passed away and at the funeral, Becky was telling a niece about wanting the pumpkin canning jar. Hidi said, "Let me check and see if the clothing manufacturer that we use overseas, knows of anyone who can do glass". Her clothing manufacturer (Hidi is a fashion designer) also owned the glass manufacturing plant, and her brother and father ran that company! Sometimes things just fall into place when it's a good idea!