Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

With pumpkin patches and jack-o’-lanterns signaling fall’s return, October is the time to celebrate the growers who make it all possible.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared October Virginia Pumpkin Month. The observance commemorates those who cultivate and harvest pumpkins and the value of that Virginia crop, which generated $11.9 million in 2022 from 4,200 acres of fresh market pumpkins.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Virginia has consistently ranked among the top six pumpkin-producing states, growing an average of about 175,000 pounds per acre.

To find locally grown pumpkins near you, visit the Virginia Grown website at vdacs. virginia.gov/vagrown/. For easy and healthy pumpkin recipes, visit the Virginia Cooperative Extension website Publications page.