The beauty of the fall colors is experienced many ways at the Myers Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, whether it is in the vibrant colors of Indian corn on display, the delicate blooms of the chrysanthemums, the warm orange hues of the pumpkins or the mosaic of changing leaves on the trees on the surrounding hill.
During Homecoming, alumni will have the opportunity to enjoy all that is great about the autumn season with a trip Friday morning to the Pumpkin Patch, which has grown from the vision of Vera Ann Myers ’87 that combined her passion for education and business with a family farm.
Myers earned a degree in education from Tusculum and began teaching in the Greeneville City School System.
But, a traditional career in education teaching in a classroom was not to be the path she would soon be following. She married Eldon Myers, who operated his family’s dairy farm. With her interest in business, the Pumpkin Patch was created 19 years ago. “We started with selling pumpkins grown on the farm,” she said. “It has gradually grown each year.”
The young family then grew with the birth of a son, Ethan, and the Pumpkin Patch also saw significant expansion as Vera Ann left teaching. “I felt the need to be on the farm,” she said.
But, Vera Ann was not leaving education behind, she was just going to touch student’s lives in a different way. “As a teacher, I know there was a need for quality, inexpensive field trips,” she said.
This led to the building of “The Shed” and the creation of educational programs to give children a greater awareness of the importance of agriculture. Myers Pumpkin Patch has hosted thousands of school children from nine different counties with school groups coming from Tennessee. The Pumpkin Patch has become a popular destination for pre-K, Head Start and early elementary age groups.
Four special learning centers and activities give the children a first hand look at where their food and clothing come. The centers and activities are designed to be age appropriate and will be enhanced this year by some colorful question boards about pumpkins, corn and bees. Some of the questions may even stump the grown-ups. (Do you know what percentage of a pumpkin is water? What animal eats corn, the cob and the stalk? How much honey does a bee make in its lifetime?)
One of the favorite activities of the young children is the “find the gourd in the haystack” in which the students search through the hay for an ornamental gourd they can take home. “The children soak in every word you say,” she said. “It is amazing.”
One of the newest additions to the Myers Pumpkin Patch for children and adults alike to visit is the “Old Red Cabin.” The Myers Pumpkin Patch is part of the Northeast Tennessee Quilt Trail, and visitors to the little cabin can learn about what it takes to make a quilt and some of the traditional patterns as well as see some mementos from life on the farm.
Visitors can learn more about the Quilt Trail in “The Shed” and view some very special gourds. High school students in the Greene County School System have painted some gourds grown at the Myers farm with patterns found in some of the quilts on the trail.
“The Shed” is also where visitors can take some of the autumn beauty home with them. Sold at the Pumpkin Patch are pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn grown on the farm as well as crafts and items for the young and young-at-heart.
Crafts that haven’t been made on the farm come from local artisans and there are some locally made jellies and jams to satisfy any sweet tooth. The crafts include straw and cloth scarecrows, fall lawn and garden ornaments and apple gourd creations. Ornamental pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn are available along with miniature bales of hay for those who want to create their own fall decorations.
Beside “The Shed” are the larger pumpkins, including those best for cooking, gourds and chrysanthemums that are budding and beginning to bloom. In this area is also Ethan’s Stand, where a young entrepreneur is gaining some valuable experience.
In addition to the activities around “The Shed,” visitors can take a hayride around the farm. And, oh yes, there is that Corn Maze.
The 24-acre Corn Maze was added 10 years ago and was the first in Northeast Tennessee. “Never did I dream so many years ago that I would be sitting here today with a corn maze,” she said.
While the soil on the Myers farm is fertile for growing the pumpkins, gourds and vegetables, it is particularly well suited for growing corn. “My husband grows the best corn,” she says, and that corn has become a place for a unique adventure.
The lay of the land dictates how the maze will be laid out, she explained, with the path from one end to the other cut and then dead ends added. “We cut it out when the corn is ankle to knee high.”
For those who want to make a day out of their excursion to the farm, there are snacks and drinks available as well as picnic tables.
The Myers believe in supporting their community. The farm supplies plants and soil to the greenhouse at Mosheim Elementary School and allows the cross country team from Mosheim Middle School to practice on the farm. The Myers Pumpkin Patch will be hosting an upcoming cross country meet for the team.
Vera Ann is partnering with the General Morgan Inn in an effort to bring more tour groups to the region. The Myers Pumpkin Patch and other similar ventures were established before the term agrotourism was created, but it is growing in recognition as a worthy venture. She is the president of the Tennessee Agritourism Association and the Pumpkin Patch has been a supporter of the local farmer’s market and Rural Resources.
The Pumpkin Patch is open to the public daily during September and October except during school hours which is reserved for school groups.
The other peak season for the farm is in the spring with the bounty from the Myers Greenhouse. Flowers and vegetable plants are available to the public in April and May.
During the off-season, Myers devotes her time to planning for the next season, marketing and promotion of the Pumpkin Patch and making crafts.
She has also brought the farm to the classroom at her Alma Mater as well as serving on the Alumni Executive Board. She has made presentations to education majors about alternative methods of teaching, how fun and farming can be added to the curriculum. These presentations were made in science classes taught by Dan Barnett, associate professor of chemistry.
One of her fondest memories as a student at Tusculum was a trip made during the summer under the direction of Barnett. The group spent nine days “roughing it” in the Great Smoky Mountains. Camping in tents with no amenities such as a hot shower was a new experience for Vera Ann as well as their activities during the day. “I don’t think I would have ever climbed Mt. LeConte if I hadn’t been on that trip,” she said.
As a student, one of the education professors had a significant impact on the young student. “There are teachers who make a difference in your life and Dr. Carolyn Nave was one of those teachers for me,” she said. “I thought that if I could be half as good as she was, I would be doing well.”
Dr. Nave would probably agree that Vera Ann has done better than well in her efforts to bring some learning and fun into the lives of students and adults alike at the Pumpkin Patch.
If you would like to explore the Pumpkin Patch, register for Homecoming today and sign up for the trip. If you can’t come to Homecoming, but would like to visit the Pumpkin Patch on your own, learn more and get directions here.