My Pumpkin Farm Brings In $2 Million In Only 7 Weeks

The speaker, an experienced businessman in the antique and auction industries, describes how he launched The Great Pumpkin Farm after visiting a poorly-operated pumpkin farm and believing he could do better. He purchased the property around 1990 and opened the farm in 1996, transforming a former cow farm into a destination that now spans 300 acres with 75 acres currently in use. The farm offers numerous pumpkin varieties—mini pumpkins, standard pumpkins, jumbo pumpkins, and gourds—and attracts over 100,000 visitors annually during its operating period from mid-September through Halloween. Revenue generation comes from free weekday admission and $20 per person weekend admission, with the business grossing over $2 million in 2025. To meet demand, the farm contracts with local farmers in addition to growing their own pumpkins. A pivotal early marketing success occurred in the first year when the speaker insured against a 1,000-pound pumpkin being brought to the farm—at a time when the world record was only 800 pounds. A visitor did bring a 1,061-pound pumpkin and won the $50,000 prize, generating international media coverage. The operation now employs approximately 100 people and is deeply integrated with the owner's family, including his son Ben who has worked there since childhood, his daughter who helps periodically, and two of his son's children. The farm closes after Halloween and requires approximately a month of cleanup and storage for the next season. Beyond the pumpkin farm, the business operates 700 storage units with 20-25 full-time employees year-round. The speaker indicates plans to expand with an ice cream parlor (operating April through the pumpkin season) and additional event buildings. He describes the business as likely to become a generational business given his son's involvement and attributes much of his continued participation to his son's active role.