Central Illinois pumpkin farm seeing pent up demand

Posted on October 12, 2020
Ackerman Family Farms, located in Morton, grows over 150 different pumpkins. (Photo courtesy: Ackerman Family Farms)

By Blake Haas

MORTON – In the heart of the largest pumpkin producing state in the nation, business is booming, according to one of the largest growers in Central Illinois.

John Ackerman, Owner of Ackerman family farms, told WJBC’s Marc Strauss that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the farm sees pent-up demand.

“We’ve been surprisingly busy, you know, in a weird sort of way, I hate to say it, but I think we’ve benefited from the COVID situation. People are looking to get out of the house and spend some time at the farm, and other things have been canceled, unfortunately, so really, we’ve seen probably more people than in a usual year.”

Currently, Ackerman family farms grow over 150 different varieties of pumpkins, and Ackerman said this year’s crop benefited from the summer’s semi-drought conditions.

Ackerman family farms is located just off of U.S. Route 150 in Morton.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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