PUMPKINS PLENTIFUL, LOOK GOOD; REGARDLESS OF TASTES, BUYERS CAN FIND THEM

This year's pumpkin crop may not be the best ever in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, but it could rank among the best years of the 1990s.

Patches of pumpkins are found throughout the two states but exact numbers are hard to come by because the Department of Agriculture's Statistical Services doesn't take a pumpkin count in either state.

Growers and vegetable specialists agree that the 1997 crops is a good one, and that people looking for pumpkins -- giant, jack-o-lantern or minis -- should be able to find them.

"Maybe the 1997 crop is not fantastic," said Chuck Voight, a vegetable specialist with the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service. "Here and there we hear some horror stories, but that's the case almost any year with any crop."

Voight expects a better-than-average year for Illinois pumpkin growers. That would be an improvement over a couple of recent years -- 1993 and 1995 -- when the pumpkin crops fell off.

The same good forecast appears to be true for Missouri, said a vegetable specialist with the Missouri Agricultural Statistical Service.

The pumpkin crop in the two states could have been better if the summer had been more consistently hot.

"Pumpkins like hot weather," said Voight, who pointed out that the summer was hot and dry for a while, then cool and wet for a longer while, resulting in late plantings and late harvests.

"We have plenty of pumpkins," said David Diebold of Diebold Orchards near Benton. "We have pumpkins from a pound up to more than 100 pounds."

Diebold agreed that heavy rains forced some late plantings.

"Luckily, the virus that has impacted some pumpkins in the area had little effect on our crop, but some producers have been affected."

The virus, said Diebold, leaves a knotty or knobby appearance, or green markings on pumpkins.

"They're some of the prettiest, ugliest pumpkins around," said Diebold. "but they're selling."

In fact, they're in demand, he said. "They're great for creative people in preparing Halloween displays."

Meanwhile, Diebold said he had a great crop of giant and Halloween pumpkins.

"We've picked pumpkins in the 100-to-150-pound class," he said. "And we have a great crop of 40-pounders, great for jack-o-lanterns."

"Our crop is good this year," said LaDonna Beggs, a grower near Jackson. "There was a little loss due to early rains in the summer, but we have a nice variety of pumpkins in most sizes."

Most consumers are looking for big, round pumpkins with bright orange coloring for jack-o-lanterns, said Beggs. "Many pumpkins from this area are sold for that purpose."

But many other varieties are available for commercial processing.

Although statistics are not tabulated, it is estimated that Illinois growers provide about 75 percent of the nation's pumpkins.

When the total Illinois patches are tabulated, they amount to more than 5,000 acres of pumpkins.

Jack-o-lantern, or ornamental, pumpkins are a $3-million-to-$4-million crop in Illinois, according to one state survey.

About a third of the pumpkin acreage in Illinois is in jack-o-lanterns.

The jack-o-lantern pumpkins are usually larger than normal pumpkins, with a good orange color.

Despite the early rainy weather and virus, an average or above-average year is expected.

Pumpkin growers in Missouri and Illinois usually do a brisk pick-your-own business when the weather is nice. Home-grown pumpkins also can be found at local farmers' markets and roadside stands.