** LARRY'S PUMPKIN PATCH IN ALBERT LEA IS CLOSING AFTER 27 YEARS!--
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISITS OVER THE PAST YEARS--Larry

BUT...

The ALL NEW PUMPKIN PATCH in ALBERT LEA is off and running! Chad & Lisa Peterson with their daughter Claire are ready to meet & and WELCOME YOU to their PATCH on North Richway Drive, north of Albert Lea. Stop out and get your pumpkin OUT OF THE PATCH!
OPEN Saturday & Sunday's, 11 am to 5 pm

Max is wondering what's going on BUT is very relaxed at the entrance to the NEW PUMPKIN PATCH CORN MAZE!

YES, it's BEAUTIFUL but QUIET at Larry's these days! The HAUNTED HOUSE is pretty QUIET!

Dear friends....
After much thought and many prayers, I have decided that it is time for me to retire from my PUMPKIN PATCH west of Albert Lea. Over the past years since I moved to my Mom's family farm, I have raised and sold pumpkins. When I think back on all the fun I had with my parents, Bob & Charlotte, who loved to help me plant, pick and sell pumpkins and with Goldie and Max who loved to chase pumpkins, Elmer the BIG pig and all the sheep, goats & llamas you enjoyed petting and, of course, being around all of you who came out to the Patch--I feel good! I also had much help from my brother Mike and his wife Penny and their family and many friends who came out in the early years to help plant the patch. Rick & Justin were always there to plow, disc and prepare the patch for planting and helped plant almost every season! I remember sunny days with cool breezes and warm temps in October and the hundreds of pumpkins just waiting for a home out in the Patch! I also remember the weeds, cold winds, the rain and snow and sleet and being out to cover as many pumpkins as I could to prevent them from freezing! Yes, many many GREAT memories of 27 patches that have come and gone.
But now it's time to let someone else plant, hoe and provide a patch and that's just what is happening. The Chad Peterson family has planted 1/2 an acre of pumpkins on the old STABLES SUPPER CLUB site north of Albert Lea off Richway Drive and their patch is looking great as of today. I approached Chad in early spring as I wanted to have a PATCH EXPERIENCE available here in Albert Lea and he and his family decided to give it a try. I know how much fun kids have actually walking into the patch and finding their own pumpkin and I feel good knowing that the tradition will continue.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has visited us at the patch over the past years...the memories of all the past patches puts a smile on my face and a warm spot deep in my heart and I thank you for all your visits, comments, support and friendlyness.
Now that my PATCH has closed, I have only one request....
Don't be sad because it's over....
BUT SMILE AND BE HAPPY BECAUSE IT HAPPENED!!
and will continue to happen at the new patch in Albert Lea!
Thank you so much for making it happen with me!
Larry Alvey...July 9, 2012

TODAY

Today is

ONLY DAYS SINCE THE 2011 PATCH CLOSED ON
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011 at 6:00 PM with 9 PUMPKINS LEFT IN THE PATCH!

** CLOSED ** IF ** RAINING **


WE'RE CLOSED ON MONDAYS

QUICK CLICK TO PHOTOS OF THE 2011 PATCH....

PLEASE click above FOR THE COMPLETE PHOTO ALBUM OF THE 2011 PATCH!

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OUR LAST DAY ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011...

The last family I photoed in 2011 were Brian, Tonya and sons Gage and Jon....
THANKS FOR ALL WHO VISITED THE PATCH IN 2011!

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THE 2011 PUMPKIN PATCH GROUP CALENDAR

DIRECTIONS to the Patch....


CLICK to ENTER FOR MORE ON THE PATCH....

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QUICK CLICK TO PREVIOUS PHOTOS OF THE 2010 PATCH....

QUICK CLICK TO MORE PHOTOS OF THE 2009 PATCH....

QUICK CLICK TO PHOTOS OF THE 2008 PATCH....

QUICK CLICK TO PHOTOS OF THE 2007 PATCH....

2007 PRE-PATCH PICTURES....

PREVIOUS PICTURES OF THE PATCH WHEN IT'S CLOSED....

DID YOU KNOW YOU WERE LIKE A PUMPKIN???

PUMPKIN PATCH QUIZ*******
WHAT IS A WITCHES FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL?
SPELLing!

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QUICK CLICK TO PHOTOS OF THE 2006 PATCH, October 6-20....

QUICK CLICK TO PHOTOS OF THE 2006 PATCH, October 21-29....

QUICK CLICK TO PHOTOS OF THE 2006 PRE-PATCH....

LOOKING DOWN MEMORY LANE....

People always ask me how I got started with a PUMPKIN PATCH....

and this was the FIRST SEED that was planted in my head--when I visited Tom Deurloo's PUMPKINLAND in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1967 when we were friends at college. (RIP--Tom passed away in 2010 too after years of selling pumpkins) After seeing his FUN with pumpkins, I decided that was something I wanted to do too (minus the suit and tie!)

CONTINUING DOWN MEMORY LANE....


Dedicated to my Mom, Charlotte Alvey who loved everything growing on the farm.....
from the huge groves of mighty burr oaks that were here when she was a child to the 5 acres of pumpkins, gourds and squash she helped to plant and harvest.

Here my parents, Bob and Charlotte are sitting with Goldie in front of a round bale waiting for customers to arrive...this picture was taken in October, 1998.
(My Mom passed away on March 12, 2006 and I will ALWAYS REMEMBER all the fun times we had SELLING PUMPKINS TOGETHER here at the Patch! Without her HELP and LOVE FOR THE FARM, I would never have been able to do the Patch! Mom's favorite time was taking the GREEN MACHINE out into the patch with a pail and looking for gourds and then bringing them up to the GOURD STAND so you, OUR GUESTS could enjoy them too! Thanks for the MEMORIES MOM! )