×

Good Thunder farm welcomes families

GOOD THUNDER (AP) — Carol Devlaeminck, of Good Thunder, had family visiting from Fairmont over the weekend, and with Saturday’s mild and sunny weather, she knew just the place to take them.

With the crisp, fall air, already changing leaves and Halloween just around the corner, a trip to Pumpkin Junction, a fall festival at Blue Skye Farm north of Good Thunder, seemed like a great way to spend the afternoon.

“I drive by here every day and see the signs; and they come down to Good Thunder all the time,” Devlaeminck said, as her great-grandson Huxley Rasche posed for a picture with the pumpkin he had just picked from the vine.

“We found some gems for a little prize for him, he’s been running around and then we came here to get a pumpkin,” said Teri Rasche, Huxley’s grandfather.

Blue Skye Farm Owners Lisa and Martin Phillips, who also run Blue Skye Mercantile in North Mankato, said the ease of growing pumpkins led them to host a pumpkin giveaway to anyone interested four years ago. That first year, about 250 people turned up.

This year the fall festival – which includes an obstacle course, a maze, farm animals, hayrides and pumpkin patch – is open to the public every weekend through October 18.

Martin Phillips’ grandparents bought this farm, on old Highway 66 between Good Thunder and Mankato, in 1926, saving money for a few years to move here from their home in Iowa as the Great Depression took hold.

“It’s been in the family for 94 years,” Martin Phillips said. “We’re a certified organic farm; growing some vegetables, pumpkins, squash, oats, corn and soybeans.”

Lisa Phillips said visitors who want to buy a pumpkin are sometimes surprised that they get to pick it themselves.

“It’s not like the grocery store; kids can go out and pick their own pumpkin,” Lisa Phillips said.

A few yards away, two-year old twins Bernie and Brydon Steinhaus, of Mankato, seemed content to climb on and explore a large pile of white pumpkins around a tree.

“As adults, it’s funny how we think you have to have this activity to keep them busy,” Martin Phillips said. “Ironically it’s the simple ideas that they want.”

The twins’ mother, Deenna Steinhaus, said the family came out last year on an unusually cold day and even though they were closed, Lisa and Martin Phillips invited them to pick out some pumpkins from the patch anyway.

“Now that they’re older they can run around and do some of the bigger kid stuff,” Steinhaus said. “They love the fall and pumpkins – and carving pumpkins. We got great ones last year, so we thought we would come back again.”

Kate Meyer, of St. Peter, said the pandemic has made family outings like Pumpkin Junction a special treat after being cooped up inside during the spring. Her kids were more than happy to run outside and expend some extra energy.

“We did the obstacle course; now the kids are pretending to be ghosts, and we’re looking forward to the hayride,” Meyer said.

The maze, made from landscaping fabric and connected by 120 treated posts, was especially popular with the kids, who sought out little shiny jewels scattered throughout the maze to win a prize.

Lisa and Martin Phillips said they plan to bring back a giant sandbox filled with corn for kids to jump in next year, and Martin Phillips plans to take some old farming equipment to create slides that lead into it.

Other plans for next year include doubling the size of the maze. The couple also planted asparagus and strawberries this year, and plan to invite people out in the spring to pick their own strawberries in addition to the you-pick pumpkin patch.

Admission to the event is free, and while they have plans to continue to expand next year, Martin Phillips intends to keep it that way.

“This isn’t really about making money,” he said. “It’s about making memories for children and bringing families together. I think we get more out of it than the guests that come.”

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today