IF you cut into a Halloween pumpkin yesterday, chances are it was grown in North Queensland.
Stackelroth Farm near Bowen and their two partners in the Burdekin and Broome are the nations largest supplier of Halloween pumpkins, this year turning out a whopping 550 tonnes.
For Bowen growers Michelle O’Regan and Belinda Williams this time of year is better than Christmas.
They started growing Halloween pumpkins on their Delta property 20 years and have been supplying to the nation’s major supermarket chains for the last 17 years.
And while the pumpkins are their major source of income, spreading cheer and uniting the community is what keeps their passion alive.
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Ms O’Regan said they had a very good growing season this year, after being knocked around by Cyclone Debbie last year.
But like most farmers, they are resilient, and with community support dusted themselves off and kept on growing.
The pumpkins have been sent to Coles, Woolworths and Costco supermarkets nation wide and Ms O’Regan said they were pleased with how they were going.
“We put out 550 tonnes across the three farms, so we’re keeping at a constant which is good, it is where we want to be,” she said.
”We’ve been marketing them for 17 years, and continually doing research and development as they are a little bit more challenging to grow than mainstream pumpkins.”
While some Australian’s dismiss Halloween as an American celebration, Ms O’Regan rejects the notion.
“Halloween to us means family, getting out and connecting with the community and having a bit of fun.
“Halloween started as a pagan or Celtic celebration to wish good will for the upcoming harvest, and recognise loved ones that had passed in the previous year.
“For us, while it is about the pumpkins, it is more so about the event.”
In the spirit of the season, Stackelroth Farms donated pumpkins to Morningside State School, which was involved in a fire last month to boost morale at their school fete.
They also donated to the children’s hospital in Brisbane, as they had in years passed.
“It was a bit of a challenge, we had about 24 hours to get the pumpkins packed and down there, but the local transport company came on board to get them there and it was great to see that good will shared.
“The way we see it, we can’t be the national supplier of Halloween pumpkins and not reach out, so we saw an opportunity to link up and it was wonderful it all came together.”
Ms O’Regan said they would continue to work with the school to re-establish its community garden that had to be demolished after the fire.
But goodwill begins at home and the dynamic duo have plenty to share in the Bowen region.
This year they did pumpkin calving at a local supermarket and held a Halloween pumpkin patch at their farm, where local families and community groups could get photographs on their farm with the displays.
- This story first appeared on the North Qld Register.
