The benefits of Michigan’s Fall Harvests are starting to raise spirits in a big way this week atMeijer stores. As families begin to plan for Halloween, produce experts say the key to meeting demand for families seeking their own great pumpkins is really a matter that is home-grown, or Michigan-made.
Carving or decorating jack-o’-lanterns tops everyone’s Halloween activity list, so having the largest and freshest pumpkins available captures the imagination and brings families together.
The pumpkins at Meijer are already popular and we expect a lot of families to be making their choices to find their own “Great” pumpkins.
- As families prepare for Halloween, the retailer expects to sell more than 500,000 locally grown pumpkins for carving or decorating across the Midwest
- More than 95 percent arriving at a Meijer store just a day or two after harvest from a nearby pumpkin patch.
Partnering with local growers allows us to add a pumpkin-patch feeling to the shopping experience.
- Compared to other retailers, Meijer offers the largest pumpkins, which makes the carving/decorating experience even better.
- When you find yours at Meijer, it’s likely come from pumpkin patch to store in just a day or two
- You really can’t beat the price. The way the harvest has been, we believe families will be taking multiple opportunities over the next month.
- Meijer has partnered with Local Growers big and small since we began 1934.
- Today, we work with more than 200 local growers across the Midwest to shorten the time and distance from the fields to the checkout lane.
- Michigan ranks as one of top pumpkin harvesting states. In Michigan,
- The most notable local growers for pumpkins and other fall harvest produce are Heritage Farms and Todd Greiner Farms.
So, what should people look for when shopping for a pumpkin
- The best pumpkins for carving feature a healthy orange color and a firm stem.
- The average pumpkin can last 2-3 weeks when carved or as many as 5 weeks if decorated.
- Extreme temperatures also speed up decomposition, so we recommend bringing jack-o’-lanterns indoors during uncharacteristically warm days or when temperatures drop close to freezing.
- To keep squirrels away, you can try putting an LED light inside.
What if our family hasn’t gotten their Great pumpkin yet?
- Keep in mind, even though first big shipments of the harvest arrived in stores recently, don’t think you’ve missed your chance.
- Many local farmers still have plenty of pumpkins on their vines just waiting for the perfect time to deliver to Meijer stores.
- This means customers can expect new pumpkins at their stores on each shopping trip.
- And don’t forget that there are kits you can buy that make your carving experience a little easier.
- We also have decorating kits for families who choose not to carve – or have younger children.
