Local Farm Opts Out of Growing Pumpkins After Uncertain Spring W - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

HOLMEN, Wisconsin (WXOW) – 2012 has been a rough year for apple growers.

Douglas Shefelbein, who owns Shefelbein's Orchard and Pumpkin Patch in Holmen, said he lost roughly 95 percent of his apple crop after warm temperatures in March caused his trees to bloom early, and those blooms were subsequently killed by frost.

That's why Shefelbein opted against opening his farm this season – and that also means he's decided against growing pumpkins.

"We normally have eight to 10 acres of pumpkins," he said. "But when we saw we weren't going to have any apple crop we decided it wasn't worth planting pumpkins. We make most of our money from the apples."

"It was a good decision because with the dry weather, the pumpkins wouldn't have turned out as good as we wanted them to," said Shefelbein, referencing the current drought.

Shefelbein added he knows that other farms in the Coulee Region are still planning on growing pumpkins this season.

He hopes to have his farm up and running again next year.