By Kelly Youngblood
Crowley Pumpkin’s are very popular, and sold out in 2017 by Oct. 8. Visiting in 2018? Plan a visit early in the season or risk missing out!
More pumpkin pleasing fun can be found at the annual Crowley Pumpkin Pumpkin Glow, which was held in 2017 on Oct. 29-31.
Crowley Pumpkins opens on Sept 8, 2018. Their days and hours of operation are as follows: Mon-Thur from 6:30-8 p.m., closed Friday, Sat. from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Prices range from $1-$10. This year, they are selling pink pumpkins for $5 and a percentage of profits will go towards cancer research.
If you’re looking for a great place to buy pumpkins but don’t feel like dealing with crowds or spending a fortune, Crowley Pumpkins in Mahomet is definitely worth a visit.
Over the years, my family has enjoyed driving by the Crowley Pumpkin Glow to see the hundreds of Jack-o-Lanterns lit up along the side of the road. But until recently, I had never been there during the day to see their pumpkin selection.
I took my kids there on a whim last weekend and discovered there are several reasons to love this family-owned pumpkin patch operated by Julie and Dale Crowley.
Cheap Pumpkins
I love to decorate my front porch and yard with a variety of pumpkins and gourds, but it can get expensive if you go pumpkin shopping at the wrong place! Luckily, Crowley Pumpkins has some of the best prices I’ve seen in the Champaign-Urbana area.
Pumpkins range in price from $1 for smaller ones (that would work great for carving) to $10 for the really big ones. They have a nice variety of pumpkins, gourds and squash to choose from. I filled up the entire back of my mini-van for $35. (FYI, I’m pretty sure it’s a cash or check only situation here.)
No Food or Attractions (Technically…)
This is not the place to go if you’re looking for all-day entertainment. You won’t find any donuts or apple cider for sale here nor will you see any hayrides or corn mazes. That’s fine by me though because that stuff can really add up.
Of course my kids did manage to find plenty of ways to entertain themselves. Julie was kind enough to let them play on their backyard swing set, jump on their trampoline, and climb up and down a huge rock pile in their driveway. There were also goats and chickens penned up in the back yard that belong to their neighbors/relatives that kept my kids busy for quite some time. But “technically” there isn’t anything extra to do there besides pick out pumpkins.
No Crowds or Lines (or Walking a Mile to Pick your Own)
We stopped by around noon on a Sunday and stayed for about an hour. During that time we were one of three customers. All of the pumpkins and gourds were already picked and separated by size and price so there was no need to hike somewhere and haul back 100 pounds of pumpkins. All I had to do was peruse the yard and pole barn to find the perfect pumpkins. Then I filled up my wagon, which they provided, and loaded them up in my car.
If you’re a pumpkin-lover who believes in the “less is more” philosophy, I highly recommend stopping by Crowley Pumpkins for a visit. And if you want to check it out this season, I’d suggest you do it fast. They close on Oct. 22, unless they run out of pumpkins before then.
Crowley Pumpkins is located at 435 County Road 2500 N. If you take I-74 get off at the Mahomet exit and head north on Rt. 47. Follow the signs to Crowley Pumpkins from there.