Granby's South Congregational Church's Pumpkin Patch Up And Running

Granby's South Congregational Church has its well-known Pumpkin Patch operating again this year, offering a wide variety of pumpkins and gourds to fund its charitable youth mission projects.

Pumpkin Patch coordinator Dick Mullen the yearly pumpkin market is well-known by residents of Granby, East Granby, the Farmington Valley and people from across the country and the world. The market, located at 242 Salmon Brook Street, has attracted people on fall foliage tours coming from all over the United States as well as Germany, France, England and other countries.

Mullen said the reaction in the local community and from visitors has been consistently good and the Pumpkin Patch has been warmly received since its inception.

While this year's pumpkin delivery was one of the smallest of the Pumpkin Patch's 10-year history, the church still received more than 1,700 pumpkins in October and they're selling quickly. The pumpkins are grown by Najavo tribe members in New Mexico and the chruch splits the proceeds with the producers, keeping 25 percent to put towards two of its youth mission projects.

Mission participants travel close by and far away, performing serious home repair work in West Virgina and a variety of good deeds in Hartford. Participants work in soup kitchens and shelters, clean, paint and do "whatever they can to help," Mullen said.

"This is one of the best outreaches we do as a church," Mullen said.

The Pumpkin Patch itself allows all church members to lend a helping hand and help out the youth mission, with the market requiring 42 volunteers each week.

"It's a win-win-win," Mullen said, noting the positive impact on the church, the mission trips and the local community, as well as the opportunity for people to make a contribution to a good cause.

Pumpkins of all sizes are available at the Pumpkin Patch (you can find a price list among the photos above) through Oct. 31. The Pumpkin Patch is open from noon to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.