RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Who knew we might see so many pumpkin varieties on the side of the road?
“We grow over 80 different varieties of pumpkins and gourds,” said Tim Moser, owner of Shepherd’s Way Farms in Raleigh.
For more than 40 years, Moser has grown pumpkins in the North Carolina mountains and then trucks them to Raleigh for Halloween.
“We probably sell in the neighborhood of eight to 10 tractor-trailer loads of pumpkins in the fall season,” Moser said.
Nationwide, pumpkin sales generate around $141 million.
Moser says they’re seeing an increase in demand this year, even though the cost to grow pumpkins is rising.
“Even though our costs have gone up, particularly on the fuel side, as far as, transporting the pumpkins to the lot. We’ve tried to keep the prices the same as last year,” said Moser.
Due to inflation and drought conditions hurting crops, the average price for your Halloween pumpkin is around $6, which is up from $4.92 in 2021.
The real challenge for Shepherd’s Way Farms this year was the growing season.
“We had a late summer. We planted and had to replant a number of varieties because of the cool nights in the early spring, early summer and late spring. And so, pumpkins have been a little late in the harvest,” said Moser.
North Carolina is the fourth largest state in the country to produce pumpkins. That’s because of the lower humidity and cooler temperatures in the western part of the state.
Even with a tougher growing year and the cost to grow increasing, Shepherd’s Way Farms isn’t letting that slow them down.
“We try to offer the largest selection of pumpkins and gourds, mums and fall decor that we can. We try to bring the farm to the market here in Raleigh,” Moser said.
