Pumpkins thrive amid drought impacting Iowa crops

BONDURANT, Iowa (KCCI) - The drought has hurt many Iowa crops, but one farmer says pumpkins are the exception.

Darrell Geisler of Geisler Farms in Bondurant said these last few months have actually been good weather for pumpkins.

He said pumpkins like hot and dry weather. And the lack of rain helps with some soil-borne diseases the crops may have.

Geisler said the drought may have affected other pumpkin farmers’ yield, but his crop got just enough rain at the right times.

With a full pumpkin patch and fall right around the corner, he said he hopes pumpkin picking will bring joy to families in the midst of the pandemic.

“Especially with COVID locking them down for so long,” Geisler said about his customers, “they just can’t wait to get out and do something. We hope we can be there and help them obtain that little bit of freedom for a while.”

Pumpkin patches at Geisler Farms are open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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