Dawsonville, GA |
For more than half a century, visitors have been making the trip to this North Georgia institution to find the perfect pumpkin. And while the patch itself is still the main draw at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm, this year there’s a new reason to come — the largest drive-through pumpkin in the world, adding to an already packed lineup of hayrides, baked treats, and one of the biggest pumpkin selections in the state.
“It’s very important that it doesn’t get old — if we’ve got a little something different every now and then, it doesn’t get old for the people who come back, and that’s what we want. We wanted something different for people to see when they came out, put on a little show,” said Johnny Burt of Burt’s Pumpkin Farm. “We stormed it among our family for two or three years, talked back and forth, and finally decided to go ahead and do it.”
The centerpiece, of course, is still the massive pumpkin patch — where families create lasting memories and choose from one of the largest pumpkin selections in the entire state. With fifty-two to fifty-four acres planted each year across around twenty-two varieties, getting there is no small undertaking.
“We grow fifty-two to fifty-four acres every year, around twenty-two varieties counting the gourds and all of that. It’s not an easy job, but it can be done — and we go to a lot of extra effort to make sure it happens,” Burt said.
That effort shows up every fall when thousands of visitors make their way through the gates — many of them returning families who have made Burt’s part of their autumn tradition.
“That’s the payoff — getting to see families come out here and have a good time. And kids really learn a little about farming while they’re here. We like that too,” Burt said. “I recognize people’s faces. I can’t remember all their names, but I love to see them come back. That’s another payoff — seeing people return year after year.”
That loyalty, combined with a genuine love of farming and the daily challenge of keeping customers happy through the generations, is what has kept this family-owned operation running strong since the 1970s.
“I enjoy the farming aspect of it, the challenge of it. Every year with the weather, you’ve got a different challenge,” Burt said. “We go to a lot of extra trouble to make sure this happens — and I really enjoy seeing people come out and have a good time.”
For North Georgia families, fall and Burt’s Pumpkin Farm have become synonymous — and with the world’s largest drive-through pumpkin now on the grounds, there’s never been a better reason to make the trip.