Bowler Students Visit The Pumpkin Patch

It’s been about 30 years that Glen and Shirley Hardy have been inviting school kids to their pumpkin patch. The pumpkin patch is located in Logandale at the couple’s home. Kindergartners, first graders, church groups, Moapa’s head start program, and Moapa Indian Reservation kids are just a few of the yearly groups that come to pick the pumpkins.

In order for Hardy to have the pumpkins ready for the school children in October, he begins

In all, Hardy will have planted over 700 pumpkin seeds. He finds that the Jack-o-lantern and Autumn Gold Hybrid are most popular among the kids. The jack-o-lantern is a heavy, rich orange pumpkin with a thick vine. The Autumn Gold’s are small, pale orang-ish/yellow, and blemish free.

When asked why he does this every year he responds as only true farmers do, “We enjoy this so much. Sure the seeds are getting more expensive but it’s for the kids as well as our grandkids.”

“Glen is getting older and so are our grandkids,” adds Glen’s wife Shirley. “They really help with all the weeding and watering. Most of the kids are in their 20’s already. They too are getting older.”

There is no talk of slowing down though. The Hardy family truly enjoys seeing other kids, as well as their own, rummaging for the perfect pumpkin. The older grandchildren were also there to help cut, carry and provide transportation for the pumpkins back to school.

On Friday, October 16, a train of children walked to the Hardy’s field from Grant M. Bowler Elementary. Over 50 first graders were giddy with excitement as they reached the pumpkin patch. There was no thumping, smelling, feeling, or squishing to see which pumpkin would be best for carving. Most of the kids simply went by looks.

Boy’s with lots of energy and assumptions bigger than their arms chose the biggest one’s they could carry. The girls picked the small, light-weight pumpkins. Sitting in circles they waited, cradling their “baby” pumpkins who would soon receive their mothers name on their bottoms.

This annual fun is a labor of love by the Hardys. Sure children accidentally picked melons, ventured into corn rows, and picked pomegranates for an after lunch treat. But none of this is unexpected by the Hardys. Their own front lawn was offered to the first graders to enjoy their lunch. While most of the children had no idea that the man observing them was the one who made it possible. Glen is just happy to see the kids come year after year.