The Last Harvest For Country Pumpkins

CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI) – A fall staple in Lowndes County and across the area is closing, after two decades.

It’s the last harvest season for Country Pumpkins in Caledonia.

The couple who owns Country Pumpkins say they came to the decision a week ago.

They made the announcement on their Facebook page.

The post has been liked and shared over a 1,000 times with people expressing their sadness and memories.

“For everything, there is a season.”

For the last 19 fall seasons, Country Pumpkins has been a blooming staple in the community.

“We started it as a little roadside stand where people could stop by and purchase their pumpkins, gourdes, ornamental, vegetables and squash, that sort of thing, and we used an honor box and we did that for about, I guess, nine years,” says owner, Jean Colson.

And as its sprouts grew and its roots spread, the honor box was replaced, and “the patch” started.

“We were just blown away by how many people came. I mean, they just came from all over the community. I told someone the other day that we had visitors from every continent, except Antarctica.”

To keep up with the needs of thousands of visitors, more money, work, and energy was invested each harvest.

“Dwight just turned 71 and I am 70 and so we need to turn the page. We need to begin a new chapter in our lives. We need to do less and not more and that’s a sad part of our life and everybody comes to that point in their lives when they have to rethink and step back and say it’s time, it’s time to change. The seasons are changing.”

Colson says she and her husband are going to miss it all so much.

“I think just bringing in the crops, and you know, we wanted to celebrate the harvest with the community and just seeing all the things that God provides and the favorite part for me was always to go to the field and to pick the pumpkins.”

From celebrating the harvest with the community, to watching the little ones play in the corn filled boxes, to all the bittersweet moments, Colson says she appreciates all the visitors over the years.

“We have a lot of sweet memories and I just thank everybody for making Country Pumpkins possible and for blessing us the way they did.”

The couple never charged admission throughout the years they were open.

They are also selling equipment from Country Pumpkins.

For more information on how to get in touch with them, head on over to their Facebook page.