 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Let there be gourds
By SHARON L. BOND
© St. Petersburg Times, LEALMAN -- The pumpkin enterprise at Clearview United Methodist Church has the markings of a seasonal business: a field often used for parking converted to a pumpkin patch, temporary sales people and props such as the 1936 John Deere tractor brought out of storage. The sale, now in its fifth year, is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the church at 4515 38th Ave. N. Last year it grossed $32,000. But don't call the pumpkin patch a business, church members say. "It's for the Navajo Indians and missions," says Nina Allen, who works at the patch during its run through Oct. 31. "It is an outreach for us," Allen said as she described the arrival of the semitrailer truck about 5 p.m. Monday. It took 100 volunteers to unload the pumpkins, including Boy and Girl Scouts and church members. They ate hot dogs and drank cold drinks while they worked. Pumpkins are priced by the Navajos according to size, and the marked ones are displayed on a long table under a tent at the Clearview pumpkin patch. The largest go for $25 to $30. Tiny ones are 50 cents. Gourds and small ears of red corn are $1 apiece. A special pair of pumpkins growing from one stem is priced at $30. Church member Rob Rivenburgh said the Navajos send the pumpkins to the church on consignment. "There is no upfront cost for us," he said. In return, the Navajos receive about 65 percent of the money raised from the patch sales. The rest goes into a Methodist church fund for distribution to various missions. "They achieve their objective of raising a crop and selling it," Rivenburgh said of the Navajos. The pumpkins come from the four corners region of the western United States: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. After delivery to Clearview Methodist, the pumpkins are spread in the field beside the church. Volunteers help prospective customers. Allen, for one, works three-hour shifts most days. She is 83. The church will get another load of pumpkins next Sunday, Rivenburgh said, amounting to about a third of the original load. Whether sales will be as good as last year's is uncertain. "We are a little concerned about this year, what with the economy and world events," Rivenburgh said. "It's too early to tell. If we get anywhere near last year," they will be happy. As good as sales were last year, the church still had about 200 pumpkins that did not sell by the 31st. Rivenburgh says the leftovers are given to food kitchens or anyone who wants them. While the patch is operating, the church holds a story hour for children each day. "We have over 1,200 children who come for story time," Allen said. "The group is from all over the county. We have a person who tells them where the pumpkins come from. We tell not scary stories but ones with the theme of goodness. We don't believe in scaring children into anything." The pumpkins sold at Clearview Methodist are meant for carving jack-o'-lanterns, Allen said. The best ones for pumpkin pies are sweeter than those the church sells. During the week, business picks up after school lets out and kids come in to buy. The busiest time is from Oct. 28 through Halloween, Allen said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times South Pinellas desks |
