Shantz Family Farm moving on from pumpkins

Final year for Petersburg pumpkin patch A seasonal tradition is coming to an end in Wilmot Township. Colton Wiens tells us why one farm family will no longer be selling pumpkins.

After decades of welcoming the public to their land, the Shantz Family Farm in Petersburg is in its final year of selling pumpkins to the public.

“It's been a great run for us. This is our 28th year and it's the last year that my wife and I will be in charge. Who knows what the future holds at this present time. It's not really practical for our children to take over, but maybe they will. We're going to stay here,” said Kevin Shantz, co-owner of Shantz Family Farm.

Since 1870, the Shantz family has owned the farmland on Bleams Road. It’s currently owned by Kevin and his wife Angela Shantz.

“I was ready to be done a few years ago, but Kevin decided this year, which was kind of nice. So, I'm looking forward to it. I love the fall season and I'm looking forward to enjoying the fall away from here,” said Angela Shantz, co-owner of Shantz Family Farm.

Kevin started working on the farm when he was 14, moving in at 20 to run what was the dairy operation at 23, which he and Angela operated for 20 years. But continuous maintenance and upgrade costs forced them to switch to cash crops.

“I was being required to make improvements to the manure system, the water usage and the buildings to maintain the dairy herd for 75 cows,” Kevin Shantz said.

With only 170 acres for cash crops, he needed a specialty crop, so they started growing pumpkins.

“You need a specialty crop like pumpkins or sweet corn to make more per acre and we have the population here and they support us,” said Kevin Shantz.

Since opening the pumpkin patch to the public, the farm has also offered school tours, a petting zoo, a corn maze and wagon rides. But the cost to offer the experience, adds up.

“The insurance company makes a lot of money for my corn maze. For liability, if people trip and fall over the pumpkin vines. It takes a big chunk of the profits,” Kevin Shantz said.

Knowing this was the last year of pumpkins, Kevin reduced the area he was growing in, but mother nature had other ideas.

“I thought: 'Oh, I'll cut my acreage to 25 acres last year, down to nine acres this year.' Well, we've got like 25 acres of yield. It was a fantastic year for the pumpkins. We had more than adequate rain through July and August and it's a fantastic crop,” Kevin Shantz said. “It was a good way to go out. Or can I just cut my acres and keep on going? Yeah, it's mixed feelings about it, but obviously it's nice to go out on a high.”

For 28 years, Kevin has also held another full-time job as a dairy tester. It was a job he kept doing out of necessity at first.

But as the family kept growing, Kevin said he continued his other full-time work in order to help give the whole family a good life. He plans to continue working as a dairy tester for another three years.

“The benefits from a full-time job for eye and dental are huge. As a farmer, you pay for your own benefits and you pay a lot. So that really worked well for a growing family,” he said.

While all eight kids have jobs outside of agriculture, the kids were always involved with the farm growing up.

“I think we've built up a good work ethic with growing up here,” said Emily Wark, the oldest daughter of Kevin and Angela.

Kevin said the kids are still tied to the farm. Several have been married on the property, his son still lives there, and one daughter lives right next door.

“It's sad for now, but I know we have stuff in store for the future and we're just figuring it out. So, it's still exciting and exciting for my parents on their retirement,” said Holly Shantz, the youngest daughter of Kevin and Angela.

While Kevin and Angela step away from pumpkins, the family isn’t sure what the future will look like.

“As far as I know, it's going to stay in the family name, but who knows what the Region of Waterloo will do to us in the future,” Kevin Shantz said.