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Autumn tradition may be waning Owners of long-time pumpkin patch in Ashland may not continue Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 21, 2015 at 5:11 PM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 21, 2015 at 5:11 PM » Social News Twenty-four years of pumpkin picking at a pumpkin patch on Ashland's East Main Street may be drawing to a close this season as pumpkin master Matt Moore takes a long, hard look at his multiple sclerosis and whether he can measure up to the physical demands. “I don’t like to say I’ll stop," says Moore, 44. "It’s not as easy as it used to be. I hate for us not to do this. We’ve been doing it so long.” Lee Willis, his business partner and fellow graduate of Ashland High School in 1988, says, “You drive down East Main before Halloween, and you see all the jack-o'-lanterns we carved, sitting up on the fence posts.” The pair sell about 20,000 pounds of pumpkins in October, including some that go well over 200 pounds — and they do it all “no frills,” with no advertising, just word of mouth and long family traditions. They sell for 34 cents a pound. Tiny ones are 35 cents each. The record pumpkin was over 400 pounds and took five people to lift it. “We’ve been coming here every year since I was 10,” says Natalie Hurd, with her new baby, Aria, in a chest pack and husband, Bobby Hurd, at her side. “We love getting pumpkins here and carving them. We love the ritual,” says Bobby Hurd. “We’ve been doing it so many years and seeing the owners, who make photo scrapbooks of all the children as they grow up. They’ve put so much work into this.” Leslie Levy, mom of Natalie, says she’s been bringing family here for 25 years and, at the pumpkin patch, snapped the family adoption pictures to get Avi Glucklich from India. “We like it a lot,” says Glucklich, who celebrated his 20th birthday Sunday at the pumpkin patch. “It’s always a big family tradition-y thing.” Shepherding his 2-year-old son Derrick, Ryan Batton says, “We come every year and get big pumpkins to carve. We enjoy watching him run around and pick out what he wants.” His wife, Amberly Batton, says, “It’s family wholesomeness is what it is.” Ryan’s mother, Lorie Batton of Talent, says, “We’ve been coming here 20 years. It’s all about watching the kids have fun and sort through the pumpkins and find the perfect one." Moore says he is open to a buyer for the business. He reflects on the long months of caretaking the pumpkins on the flood plain by Bear Creek, especially the weeding and killing of bugs and keeping “varmints” (rats and squirrels) away, to “make sure we have what we need for harvest.” The business may be beloved, but it’s no bonanza. “We make money, but not that much if you figure out the hourly rate,” says Moore. “I make enough to pay the property taxes, not enough to retire on. I hope someone can take it over.” “Definitely a labor of love,” says Willis, as he hops out of a pickup full of pumpkins. A main ritual of the farm is Moore’s children taking pumpkins to Bellvue Elementary School for kids to guess their weight. Students from Siskiyou School and Willow Wind Learning Center come and get pumpkins every year. This year they will come next Friday and Monday. Moore has nine photo albums of area children picking out their jack-o'-lanterns over the past decades. The patch is open 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekends. It’s about a mile east of the Ashland Police Department on East Main. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 21, 2015 at 5:11 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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