Like so many many things this time of year, the annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival is often at the mercy of the weather when it comes to how popular the event turns out to be.
So when the Hunger in Moose Jaw and Yara Community Gardens fundraiser took part on a warm and partly cloudy day on Saturday afternoon, there were no shortage of folks more than happy to take part in the proceedings.
Hundreds of visitors stopped by the Grey Avenue Gardens throughout the day, picking up a bowl of chili or a hot dog, perusing the many different kinds of wares up for sale and just having a good time on a nice early autumn day.
“I think definitely because of the weather we have a really good turnout, and that’s always really nice to see,” said Suzanne Ramage, Yara Community Gardens coordinator. “As soon as 10 o’clock hit, we got super busy and I think it’s been a really good day.”
The Festival added a few new wrinkles for 2022 -- in addition to a handful of new activities for the youngsters, folks could also bid on a silent auction for baked goods, peruse a larger selection of fresh vegetables and canned goods and even take part in a ‘guess the weight’ contest for a giant pumpkin grown in the Community Gardens.
“Just some different things to make it a little bigger and better,” Ramage said.
The Festival acts as a fundraiser for the Gardens and Hunger in Moose Jaw, helping cover some of the costs associated with running the wildly popular project.
On that side of things, the gardens once again had a good year, not only with all the plots being taken up but also with how the growing season went.
“They actually did really well,” Ramage said. “It started out super slow and everything was taking forever, but we got some heat and a little bit of rain there in July and things really took off. I think everybody was really happy with their gardens this year,”
That will only help with the popularity of the plots next year, and with a handful of spots opening for next spring, it’s recommended that those interested jump on the waiting list soon.
The format of the gardens sees those with no room to grow produce of their own renting a plot at one of the two community gardens for a nominal fee, with the agreement that some of their produce will be given back to the Hunger in Moose Jaw.
It’s proven to be exceptionally popular over the years, especially with those who have smaller yards or live in apartments but still want to grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables.
“All the plots were rented this year and hopefully that happens again next year,” Ramage said. “We will have some plots available, with some people who are moving away and some who have just moved and have their own gardens, so there will be some spots opening up if someone is interested.”
Folks can contact Hunger in Moose Jaw in January and be put on a wait list, after which in early spring the plots will be assigned.
For more information on the Yara Community Gardens and for the latest updates, be sure to visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/yaracommunitygardens.
