MONROE — Populating the area with pumpkins and sweet corn, Heidi Kent and her family have been using their garden to help people in the community. Only in their second year, the Kent family have grown from 88 pumpkins last season to over 900 pumpkins currently. 

Beginning as a family project during the pandemic, Heidi’s Happy Acres was a large garden filled with watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes and a variety of other plants. The plot stretches approximately 1.5 acres. Brian Kent, Heidi’s husband, is a crop consultant. The family works together to plan the garden using strictly fertilizer and no chemicals. 

“It was really fun for the kids to watch everything grow,” Heidi said. “It was a great way to keep them grounded.”

This year the family choose to narrow their focus and provide Monroe with a local outlet to get their fall favorites. The acres provide unique varieties of the plants to create a niche market. These include honeynut squash, a cross between a between butternut and buttercup squashes; Atlantic dills which can grow over 2,000 pounds each; luxury velvet pie pumpkins whose skin oxides sugars inside creating a lace pattern that makes it sweeter than standard pumpkins; Aladdin gourds shaped similarly to acorns; and wild violet sweetcorn with purple and white kernels. 

“The different varieties are so cool to see,” Heidi said. “I’ve learned so much about different pumpkins and their growing process. I really enjoy sharing it with people.”

The Kent family has donated pumpkins to Pleasant View, Monroe Health Services, and Northside Elementary School. A special moment for the family was reconnecting with Gabrielle Breadon at Pleasant View. Heidi named one of her daughters after Gabrielle, Eily Gabrielle Kent. The Kents also raffled off several pumpkins including an Atlantic dill which was later donated to another nursing home for residents to enjoy.

A portion of all their proceeds is being donated to the Ihm family in Lancaster. Heidi’s childhood friend and Monroe native, Chelsey Ihm, has a daughter, Ruby, who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia B Cell in 2020 when she was only 3-years-old. 

“It’s very near and dear to my heart,” Heidi said.

Heidi hopes to continue Picking for a Cause next year.

Plans are already underway for next year’s season. The Kent family continues to expand and grow from their experience. 

“We put in a water system this year which really helped,” Heidi said. “We also bought a couple of trailers to sell the pumpkins on after only having the two tables last year. Each weekend we probably spend three hours filling up the trailers with over 300 pumpkins. By next year, we hope to use the shed as a building to house the pumpkins and set it up for people to pick their own. We plan to incorporate the feedback we received this year into next year’s crop.”

The Kents hope to expand the variety even farther offering stackable pumpkins, wrinkly pumpkins alongside their current peanut ones and knuckleheads. Different colors and shades are in the works as well as more medium sized pumpkins for crafts. 

Outside of their garden, the Kents also sell farm fresh eggs from their chickens. Included in their flock are Ameraucana chicks which lay blue eggs and Wyandottes which lay hues of pick ones. The Ameraucanas can be identified by their minimal comb and dark green legs, while the Wyandottes have feathers that resemble lace. The Kents also raise mini ducklings each year that can weigh up to five pounds. 

Heidi has learned much of her knowledge about poultry from her mother, Lucy Ammon, when she was a superintendent for poultry during the fairs. After moving back to the area three years ago, Heidi has enjoyed living so closely to her mother. 

“She lives just over the hill,” Heidi said. “It is really nice when she is able to come down on her scooter and enjoy the garden with us.”

After Lucy returned from her back rehabilitation, the Kents planted a patch of sunflowers spanning the distance from their house to Lucy’s. Lucy was able to enjoy the view whenever she decided to go for a ride. 

“It was just something for her to look forward to,” Heidi said.” It’s been so nice to be home. I grew up here. I know the neighbors and my mom is so close. This place truly is my happy place. That’s really what I want out of our garden, to take a bit of our happy place and share it with everyone.”