Anna, TX — Downtown Anna has gotten a little more orange this October as The Gathering United Methodist Church hosts its first-ever pumpkin patch.
Located at 118 W. 2nd Street, the Downtown Anna Pumpkin Patch has transformed an open grassy lot into rows of pumpkins, hay bales and fall-themed photo opportunities for families through the end of October.
The Anna Progress sent Pablo Gutierrez to visit the patch in person, where pumpkins of nearly every shape and size could be seen spread across the property, from miniature pumpkins small enough to fit in a child’s hand to some of the patch’s largest varieties.
Pastor Dallen Morgan of The Gathering United Methodist Church, who organized the pumpkin patch, spoke with The Anna Progress about the work behind the church’s first year putting on the event and the community response so far.
“We have met many neighbors from Anna, Melissa, Sherman and even Durant,” Morgan said. “It’s great to see new people and find out how they heard about it. For our first year, I would say we have had great turnout.”
A Pumpkin Patch Built by Volunteers
The pumpkin patch also serves as a fundraiser for The Gathering. Morgan said the church receives its pumpkins from PumpkinsUSA, which delivers them to Anna by semi-truck.
Getting that shipment unloaded and turning an empty lot into a pumpkin patch took a sizable group of volunteers.
Morgan said more than 50 people helped unload the pumpkins and set up the patch. Another 10 volunteers who weren’t present for the initial unloading have helped run the patch on a daily basis.
While Morgan organized the project, she emphasized that putting it together was a much larger community effort.
She credited volunteers from The Gathering along with students from CCMS NJHS and Anna High School with helping make the patch possible.
For those interested in getting involved themselves, Morgan said the church is always looking for people willing to serve the community. Prospective volunteers can reach The Gathering by email or through its social media pages.
Finding the Perfect Pumpkin
For Morgan, one of the highlights hasn’t necessarily been the pumpkins themselves, but watching what families do once they arrive.
“Seeing all the people come and take a break just to enjoy the cooler temps and take pictures,” Morgan said of her favorite part of the patch. “Also, the youngest kids seeing their eyes become filled with excitement as they search for their favorite pumpkin.”
Visitors have plenty of options.
When asked how large the biggest pumpkin at the patch was, Morgan couldn’t give an exact measurement.
“But we have some extremely large ones!” she said.
The smallest pumpkins, meanwhile, have developed a story of their own.
“We have mini pumpkins that fit perfectly in a kid’s hands,” Morgan said. “A little boy named Luke was at the patch and he picked it up and now we call them Luke-sized pumpkins.”
When to Visit
Families with younger children may want to visit during the daytime on a weekday.
Morgan said those periods tend to be slower, giving younger visitors more time to walk around and search for a pumpkin.
But for families more interested in getting the perfect fall picture, she recommends coming a little later.
“Sunset is also perfect because it’s golden hour for pictures,” Morgan said.
The Downtown Anna Pumpkin Patch is open through October 31 at 118 W. 2nd Street in Anna.
The patch is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
With dozens of volunteers behind it and visitors already making their way to downtown Anna from communities across North Texas and even southern Oklahoma, the church’s first attempt at a pumpkin patch has quickly become a gathering place of its own.
And for the youngest visitors still searching for the right one, there are always the “Luke-sized” pumpkins.
On-site reporting and photos by Pablo Gutierrez. Interview with Pastor Dallen Morgan conducted by The Anna Progress. Additional photos courtesy of Pastor Dallen Morgan.
