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Photo By Gabrielle Faletto

With the fall season in full speed ahead, many people in the Kaneland community are on the look out for the best pumpkins to carve for front door decor. Two of the most known pumpkin patches in the kaneland district include Kuipers Family Farm and the Sugar Grove Pumpkin Farm and Produce.

Kuipers Family Farm:

Kuipers, which is located in Maple Park off of Keslinger Road, opened on August 19th and closes on Halloween for the pumpkin season. Their hours start at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sundays it’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pumpkins are 49 cents per pound with a minimum of $3.29. They do have a large variety to choose from, including a wide range of sizes and colors. There is even a cleaning station to wash all the dirt off your pumpkins before you haul them to your car. Unlike the Sugar Grove farm, the pumpkins are stored in baskets and laid out on tables. I don’t know about you, but going to a traditional patch with pumpkins sitting out, freshly cut from their stalks gives a more small-town, close community feeling, and that’s exactly what the Sugar Grove patch has to showcase. Not only does Kuipers sell pumpkins, but they also offer other attractions like a jumping pillow, goat walk, haywagon ride, corn maze, tractor tire mountain and a haunted forest, just to name a few. The admission for those who want to purchase pumpkins is free, but if you are interested in the additional attractions, you have to pay to get in. On Monday through Wednesday, they have a discount day where the total price of admission is $10.99 and on Thursdays and Fridays it’s $12.99. In all honesty, the prices do seem a little over priced, whereas at the Sugar grove pumpkin patch, there’s a flat rate for each type instead of each individual pumpkin. If you want to go for the activities, Kuipers is the better buy, but as far as pumpkin prices go, it’s not worth the cost.

Sugar Grove Pumpkin Farm & Produce:

Just like Kuipers, the Sugar Grove Pumpkin Farm is open until Halloween and has a wide variety of pumpkins to choose from. However, when comparing the prices, the pumpkins at the Sugar Grove patch are more reasonable and affordable for families. For instance, a medium size pumpkin is only $5. The large, which is the size of a high schooler’s torso is only $7. Along with standard looking pumpkins, the family farm has many others including: heirloom pumpkins for $8, 2 mini pumpkins for only $1, 3 gourds for $1, and even corn stalks for as little as $5. Instead of juggling kids and heavy pumpkins, the patch also has wagons for pumpkin carrying that makes the experience even less stressful. While Kuiper’s has more activities, Sugar grove pumpkin farm is the best bang for your buck. Instead of being charged for extra activities besides buying decorations, it includes a free corn maze, a play area for kids, a game area for both kids and adults, and a barn that is the perfect aesthetic for cute pictures. And if you still aren’t hooked, there is also a black kitten that will come out to play every once in awhile. Just like the people working there, he’s friendly and will make the experience all that much more enjoyable.

Winner: Sugar Grove Pumpkin Farm and Produce