A pumpkin promotion at Clark Farm in Matunuck turned into an unexpected crowd-pleaser this week, with shoppers lining up to grab as many pumpkins as they could carry for $25, or fill an entire wagon for $100. The deal drew a line of about 40 people, and some customers came back for second and third helpings before the gourds ran low.
The offer, first reported by WJAR, was dreamed up by Max Buccholz, the farm's marketing manager and director of customer experience, and Richard Clark, the farm's president, as a way to clear out excess pumpkins before Thanksgiving and Christmas decorating season takes over. Buccholz described it simply as a game designed to help liquidate the surplus. The promotion was open to Fall Fest guests as well as anyone who had already visited on Columbus Day, and Clark Farm has since extended the deal to the general public for the next few days.
Clark estimated that customers walked away with anywhere from hundreds to a few thousand pumpkins during the event, though the farm has not pinned down an exact count. Most of the pumpkins up for grabs, or on display, were grown right on Clark Farm's own property, according to Buccholz.
A Farm Rooted in South Kingstown Since the 1980s
Clark Farm sits off Route 1 in South Kingstown and has been open for decades. Richard Clark has said he has run the operation since eighth grade, and his first farm stand went up on the property back in 1983. The business has grown considerably since then: according to clarkfarms.com, the farm started in 1989 as a vegetable operation and added its Matunuck location in 2009, eventually expanding into a slate of seasonal attractions and agricultural ventures, including a summer Sunflower Stroll alongside its autumn Fall Festival.
That Fall Fest, which runs about seven weeks and is scheduled to continue through Nov. 1 according to clarkfarms.com, began modestly as a sunflower maze before evolving into a corn maze over the years. The event has cycled through 18 different themes, including pirates, the Old West and Angry Birds. This year's theme, celebrating 250 years of farming, as The Connecticut Beacon reports, ties the festival to Rhode Island's broader agricultural heritage. Weekend admission runs $20 per person, with children two and younger getting in free, per the same outlet.
Pumpkin Wonderland and Beyond
Beyond the pumpkin giveaway, Clark Farm has built out its grounds with displays and interactive attractions it calls Pumpkin Wonderland, which featured more than 10,000 artistically arranged pumpkins this season along with a river and canoe setup that doubles as a photo backdrop. Buccholz, who has held his role for four years, said the farm opted to pick pumpkins and bring them to visitors rather than let people pick in the field themselves, because the field itself was buggy, muggy and generally unpleasant for guests.
The farm also offers hayrides, a paintball shooting gallery, a zip line, corn pits, a pedal racetrack, go-karts and animals as part of its broader fall lineup. Clark Farm plans to post updates on the pumpkin promotion and other happenings through its social media accounts.
Comparable Deals Elsewhere
All-you-can-carry pumpkin promotions aren't unique to Rhode Island. Produce Patch Farm Market has advertised a similar $25 offer letting one person carry as many pumpkins as they can hold in their arms, with help from friends stacking the load, plus a $10 all-you-can-carry gourd option for kids age 10 and younger. Elsewhere, an ABC News video segment described a comparable carving-pumpkin deal at a North Texas nursery, also priced at $25, though that report carries lower confidence than the detailed account from Clark Farm.
Looking Ahead to Next Fall
Richard Clark said he hopes the farm's draw will keep bringing visitors from far and wide to Matunuck, a community he says still holds thousands of acres of preserved farmland. He's already thinking past this season, saying he has bigger ideas for next fall and expects to put the whole event back together in 340 days.
