Halloween is the traditional first holiday of the fall season, but it also is the end of most formal pumpkin patch activities.
At the long standing Bierwagen’s Patch at Donner Trail Farm in Chicago Park, it turned out to be a very good year. Owner Chris Bierwagen and his niece Amy, who manages the pumpkin patch, had to make a strategic decision last spring following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but all turned out well.

What does a record breaking year look like… the team says they sold well over 5000 pumpkins. Along with the pumpkins, they also sell pies and cider from the apples in their orchards.

Even though its been tough for fruit production during the drier years, they still produced over 4000 gallons of cider for the season, and the last of it sold on Saturday.

The Bierwagen’s Patch also included animals on display including a polk-a-dot pig…. a turkey that thinks he’s in charge of the chickens… and some crazy looking ducks with what looks like a pom-pom for a hair-do. The family is thankful for the ongoing support from the community.