How the Pumpkins Started to Grow
Donna and Bill Warner the founder of Warner Ranch and Pumpkin Farm, started this not so little adventure over 25 years ago. The Belgian Horses actually came first. Bill a part owner of Niagara Industrial Maintenance currently in Stevensville On, already had his hands full with this company. Providing several services; including fabrication, emission control equipment, structural and custom steel as well as plant maintenance and fireproofing, did not set out to raise Belgian horses at this time.
Bill realized several years ago he could no longer resist the calling back to his home roots. He grew up on a working farm as a child, which included these gentle giants that he already had an ever lasting bond with. Bill grew up on the family farm not far from where the ranch is now, in the small town of Cooks Mills. Bill became very familiar with the farming life as he had many roll models in agriculture, now making him a 4th generation farmer today.
Donna, Bill’s wife of almost 30 years, little did she know her future would take on such drastic changes from being a girl from the city. Donna was more than willing to come along for the ride as she had already fell in love with the country life that Bill had introduced her too. Bill and Donna bought the 23 acre property lot which was the original location of Warner Ranch. Donna and Bill said there is no better place to raise there family than on the farm.
Raising four boys on a Belgian Horse farm brought them all great opportunities. The horses brought them a world of hard work, dedication and joy. As the years went on, the Warner’s became Warner Family Belgians to the horse world as they took on the competitions. The family has always taken great pride in showing. It was time for all their hard work to finally showed off. All the hours of loving, grooming, and training the horses to become a team, and show the world what they had in the show room was a marvelous, and awarding moment. The Warner’s competed at all levels including a six, four, three horse hitch, lady driver, and junior driver competitions. Besides carriage hitch competitions, the Warner family also entered their horses in shows of individual skill, temperament, and appearance. Bill, Donna, and the boys, Kyle, Ryan, Tyler, and Tanner all showed as a family and the boys excelled in many of their own competitions. The plethora of ribbons, plaques and certificates that grace the barn and family room of the Warner household are a testament to their pride and pleasure in this magnificent breed.
The pumpkin Patch roughly started in 1995, on the 23 acre lot across the street. Donna had no farming experience at all before she started her business over 25 years ago. Donna planted a couple dozen pumpkins the first year. It went well, there was great excitement to have just one person pull in the driveway to buy a pumpkin. Donna was incredible mistaking thinking farming was one of the easiest jobs out there before Bill introduced it to her. Donna was unaware of the work that is put in. Donna assumed you plant the seed in the spring and you harvest in the fall. Donna had no idea of the effect of the weather and the cost put into farming, or your time.
As Donna has grown greatly with the family farm, along side of Bill, they have become extraordinary, dedicating, hardworking, loving farmers. Donna goes through several seed catalogs, spends the winter months finding out what seeds are new, deciding and planing out what seeds she is planting, and how much of that seed she will need. Unfortunately pumpkins are not a simple thing to grow. When ordering you have to observe what the pumpkin likes. They need proper soil, they love rain but not wet feet. They need lots of room to grow, and lots of sunshine but can not be to dry. For the Pumpkin Patch you also have to be aware of how many days it takes for the pumpkin to mature. Donna spends long hours out in the beaming sun planting pumpkins in June with the help of Bill. Donna then is out there every morning. Just as the sun is rising, she is fertilizing, spraying, watering or pulling weeds all summer long till September comes, and still is out there everyday after picking pumpkins for the public and all the school groups. About 17 years ago the Warner’s moved to the other side of Schisler Road where the Pumpkin Patch continues to be. As the pumpkin patch continued to grow, they needed to grow as well. Now owning 250 acres there is lots of room for planting pumpkins and gourds to keep up with the demand from the public. Donna has grown such and interest in pumpkins she joined the Giant Pumpkin Association trying to achieve back then when she joined, a pumpkin over 500 pounds.
Over the years Donna and Bill have had many great family and friends help with the farm. Donna has said, it is a lot of hard work but it is something she would never give up. She can see herself doing this forever. You meet so many great people which is the best part! After 25 years of Bill and Donna running the Pumpkin Patch the farm still continues to be growing and to be busy all year round. We offer sleigh rides in the winter, Eggstravaganza at Easter and Birthday parties all year round. We also participate in several parades, weddings, fundraisers and private events off the farm.
As life has gotten busier, time for showing with the Belgians in competitions has become something we dream of being able to do again. Now all the boys are all grown up with their own families, giving Donna and Bill currently 7 grandchildren. Instead of showing horses the family gets together on several occasions and spends quality time with the horses and family, as we enjoy going for peaceful horse drawn wagon rides throughout the property, enjoying the fresh farm air.
Donna and Bill certainly had one thing right 25 years ago, a farm is a great place to raise a family. It is now an even better place to enjoy and help raise grandchildren. We have been creating memories for over 25 years that will last a life time and we have many more memories to come!
