Northern Ontario pumpkin farms had 'excellent' season despite province-wide drought

While drought conditions have devastated pumpkin crops across much of Ontario this fall, farmers in the north say their harvests have largely been spared — thanks to a mix of irrigation, planning, and persistence.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, some Ontario producers reported yield losses of up to 70 per cent due to this summer’s prolonged dryness. 

Jeff Warner—who manages Aidie Creek Gardens near Englehart, where three to four acres of pumpkins ripen each fall—says constant watering through irrigation made all the difference this year.

“We have proper irrigation out there, so I basically have unlimited water,” he said. “We watered like crazy and kept them happy.”

In Sturgeon Falls, Leisure Farms manager Mitch Deschatelets has a similar story. Despite the lack of rain, he said his pumpkins flourished under consistent watering and plenty of sunshine.

“If you were set up with irrigation to give them water, it was an excellent growing season. We had many days of sun and there was enough heat to get them growing fast. So I'd say overall everything has been excellent,” Deschatelets said. 

Both farmers explained that irrigation has become essential for pumpkin growing in northern Ontario — not every year, but increasingly often.

Deschatelets estimates his farm waters “at least 50 per cent of the years,” depending on rainfall. 

But even in a good year, growing pumpkins in northern Ontario is no easy task. 

“Every pumpkin variety has what’s called ‘days to harvest,’” Warner said. “You've got to choose ones that will be within our seasons. So I usually say 100 days or less.”

The extra work adds up and Warner admits pumpkins aren’t exactly profitable.

“I'm not sure you can call them a money driver. I call them a break even part of the project. I think we spend more money on labour than we can actually sell a pumpkin for,” he said. 

Instead, the pumpkins are the centrepiece of the farm’s “fall fun days” event, where families come to pick pumpkins and explore a corn maze.

“Half the people who come here call it the pumpkin place. So if we didn’t have pumpkins, it wouldn't seem right,” Warner said.