Unexpected pumpkin seller

Lisa Sarauer didn’t expect to be selling pumpkins. She has a full-time job, a family, and many responsibilities.  But when the leaves falls and the autumn colours shine, her front yard turns into a sea of orange.

“This is about the fourth year that we’ve been up and running,” she said.

Sarauer owns a property with her husband about 10 kilometers from Yorkton. They sell pumpkins in every shape and size, from mini-whites that fit in your palm to behemoths that tip the scale at 300 pounds. 

The property is open for business on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“[Since] my husband and I both work full-time, [the weekend is] when we can sell,” she said.

When Sarauer moved to the property, she started talking to her neighbour: Kirk Flaman, the owner of Prairie Dome Seed Potatoes. They realized they could work together.

“Honestly, when we moved here, we kind of planted a few pumpkins and then [Prairie Dome] expressed some interest,” Sarauer said. “It just kind of went from there.”

Sarauer orders pumpkin seeds from Nova Scotia. They plant them in a pumpkin patch on Prairie Dome property.

“[We have] 2.5 to 3 acres just for the pumpkins,” Flaman said.

Once the pumpkins are ready, Sarauer sells them on her property. They range in price from $10 to $100, depending on size.

Any pumpkins that don’t find a home are still used.

“We’ve had people interested in them as feed for farm animals,” Sarauer said. “Otherwise...they go in the field...for nutrients.”

This year, Sarauer is using her pumpkins for a good cause. She’s raising money for the Boys and Girls Club. People can buy tickets to guess the weight of a massive pumpkin in the front yard. Proceeds go to the club’s programs.

“We were very lucky to be chosen,” said Lorraine Moeller, Executive Director of the club. “We’re ecstatic.”

Tickets are one for $5 or three for $10.

It’s a busy time of year for Sarauer, and also a bittersweet one. She’s put her property up for sale, meaning this will probably be her last year selling pumpkins.

“[I’ll miss] seeing the people, seeing the families,” she said. “You meet new faces.

“It’s just a beautiful time of year.”

Flaman plans to continue selling pumpkins, but he’s looking for a new place in which to sell them.

“Sales have been good,” he said. “[The] community has been awesome.”

The pumpkin patch will be open until Oct. 15. After that, Sarauer will decide to stay open or not depending on the weather.

“If we hit some really cold weather, it’s hard to keep [pumpkins] good,” she said.