WEST ALEXANDRIA — Perfect fall weather Saturday, Oct. 12 set the stage for ‘Pumpkin Fest’ at Majestic Nursery & Gardens, located south of Brookville and north of West Alexandria at 2100 Preble County Line Rd.

The event began the weekend of Sept. 21 but was postponed the following weekend due to heavy rain from Hurricane Helene. It resumed the weekend of Oct. 5 and 6 with Mum Fest and continues Oct. 19 and 20 with Kettle Corn Days.

All of these events feature pumpkins, gourds, asters, mums, and raw honey for sale as well as other treats.

This is the 27th year the Pumpkin Fest has been held at Majestic Nursery. Visitors were greeted by a large display beautiful fall mums adjacent to displays of pumpkins and gourds.

Visitors could select a pumpkin from an extensive display area or pick a pumpkin that appealed to them from the seven acre pumpkin field.

There were 45 different types of pumpkins, squash and gourds along with fall mums, annuals, winter ornamental cabbage and kale grown on the farm to select from.

Other activities include the Amazing Maze corn maze located in a 15 acre field of tall corn with an optional treasure hunt. Everyone that completed the treasure received a mini pumpkin as a prize.

There were also hayrides and Overlook Express train rides through the pumpkin patch and along 45 acres of the property. A free petting zoo and children’s play area with toys was available as well as many painted signs to pose next to for family photos.

Ullery’s Homemade Ice Cream was on the property selling sweet treats Oct. 12 and 13. What’s The Scoop Ice Cream Company was at the event the previous weekend. The Lewisburg Historical Society is scheduled to sell kettle corn at Pumpkin Fest/Kettle Corn Days the weekend of Oct. 19 and 20.

The Pansing family also had raw honey for sale harvested from their own apiary. Honey bees have been part of the family farm since the early 1960s.

Jeff and Karen Pansing are the sixth generation owners of the sesquicentennial family farm that has been in the family since 1832.

Harvey Flory, who was on Jeff’s mother’s side of the family, took ownership in 1930.

“Harvey inherited the property from the Bowser family but had to buy the house. He lived on the property for 60 years,” Jeff said.

Harvey started farming the land right before the ‘Great Depression’ in 1930. He operated a dairy farm on 80 acres.

When the Pansings took ownership in 1990 they purchased an additional 10 acres, according to Jeff.

According to the Majestic Nursery & Gardens website, the farm has a lot of family heritage and history. In addition to being a dairy farm, the family raised free-range chickens for additional income. The family would take eggs to town and delivered them door to door on a designated day of the week.

When in season, they also took fresh vegetables with them on the egg route. It was special day for the city residents to be able to purchase fresh eggs and produce. During the deliveries, the farm family would enjoy a short visit with a friend they made over the years from their weekly deliveries.

The family that worked the farm had a very conservative faith. As plain people, they valued their faith, family, and the neighbors that lived around them. The principles that led them included hard work, thriftiness, a soft-spoken demeanor, and using the land for a good purpose.

Visit Majestic Nursery this weekend as Pumpkin Fest continues with Kettle Corn Days. The event is weather dependent. Call (937) 833-5100 if the weather is questionable.

Visit Majestic Nursery & Gardens on Facebook or the website at the following shortened link: https://bit.ly/3U886bX

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].