Dordt University’s pumpkin patch is open north of Sioux Center, continuing a community harvest tradition that stretches from summer sweet corn to fall pumpkins.
A large metal “Pumpkin Patch” sign went up last week along Highway 75, marking the seasonal opening near Dordt’s Agriculture Stewardship Center. Visitors can pick their own pumpkins, with purchases handled through an honor system.
Agriculture Stewardship Center Steward Mike Schouten grows a variety of pumpkins and gourds, including white, pink, and blue pumpkins. The patch welcomes families, kindergarten groups, and other visitors.
“Fall is a beautiful time of year to get the community out to the farm,” Schouten said in a story provided by Dordt. “We host kindergarten groups, families who pick their own pumpkins, and others. We want to provide a good quality product and a service to our neighbors.”
A Partnership Rooted in Sweet Corn
For Schouten, the pumpkin patch follows a busy summer of growing and harvesting sweet corn for the Sioux County community.
Schouten has planted half-acre sweet corn patches since 1989. Dr. John Olthoff, Dordt professor emeritus of agriculture, has joined him in the rows since the mid-1990s.
Their early-morning routine includes a familiar piece of clothing: a faded red Nebraska Cornhuskers sweatshirt that Olthoff has worn for every harvest since 1994.
The two pick ears by hand, dropping them into large plastic buckets that student employees carry to a waiting truck. Morning dew and rain can leave them drenched, and Schouten sometimes tapes his fingertips to protect them from sharp corn leaves.
“We’re usually soaked to the bone by the time we’re done,” Schouten said. “But there’s something beautiful about sharing the bounty of God’s creation with the community.”
Schouten staggers planting across three patches to extend the sweet corn supply for about a month. The harvest often spans 25 days, with the pair picking nearly 200 dozen ears on peak days and about 30,000 ears over a season.
Corn is distributed through a roadside stand along Highway 75, Dordt’s facilities garage, and Hull. This year, a baker’s dozen sold for $6. According to Dordt, corn at the facilities garage can disappear within about 30 minutes of employees receiving an email announcing its availability.
Sharing the Harvest
Although the Agriculture Stewardship Center supports academic research, Schouten and Olthoff view the produce operation as another way to serve their neighbors.
“This goes outside of raising corn and soybeans for research,” Olthoff said. “This is about community outreach. It’s a way we can bless others by sharing the gifts of the garden.”
Corn that is not sold at the roadside stand or on campus is donated to local food programs or church organizations. Dordt Dining Services also purchases watermelon and cantaloupe grown by Schouten to serve at the Atrium.
The pumpkin patch continues that outreach into fall. Like the sweet corn operation, it uses an honor system that reflects the trust Schouten and Dordt place in visitors.
After more than three decades harvesting together, the two men also value the friendship built during those early mornings.
“I couldn’t do it without John,” Schouten said. “He’s been a vital part of this operation for years.”
“I’m blessed by being able to pick alongside Mike,” Olthoff said. “We get to share gifts of the garden together. And those early mornings are beautiful, to see the sunrise and work in the cool, crisp air.”
