Story by Karen Cernich Dickhut,
Photos by Jeanne Miller Wood

John Kopmann, Marthasville, doesn’t have any idea how many pumpkins sprouted in his family’s 8-acre field this year. There are too many to count. But that’s the point.

He and his family grow pumpkins so the rest of us don’t have to.

The Kopmanns, who have been selling their pumpkins and other produce under the name 3 Girls and a Tractor at the Washington Farmers Market and other wholesale outlets for years, opened their patch to the public for the first time in September, and sales have been strong.

“We began the season having customers make reservations, kind of a socially distanced patch, just one group at a time, but that filled up pretty quickly, so now we have a sign on the road and people just come out,” said John, who previously worked as a full-time hog farmer.

As the name implies, 3 Girls and a Tractor is a family affair. It’s named for John and his three daughters, Jamie, Sara and Katie. Their mother, Shari, is part of the team too.

“We are situated in the Missouri River Bottoms and raise sweet corn, seeded and seedless watermelons, cantaloupes, specialty melons, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, potatoes, a variety of squash, pumpkins, gourds, honey from bees that pollinate our gardens, pecans from 100-year-old trees on our property and cactus,” an online bio reads. “We sell our produce at farmer's markets and supply several CSA's and roadside at my parent's farm on Highway 94 between Marthasville and Treloar.”

The beauty of the landscape can’t be beat, especially on a bright October day. Panoramic views of the river valley are worth a visit to the patch, even if you are not in need of a pumpkin.

The family started raising and selling produce 19 years ago.  John went full time about 12 years ago when they became involved in the Farm-to-School program.  This consistent business through the winter allowed John to farm produce full time.  The family began growing pumpkins around the same time. They use a portion of the 200-acre Kopmann family farm to grow 8 acres of pumpkins, watermelons and squash, 6 acres of sweet corn and 2 acres of other produce. This year John and Shari made the decision to expand the business again by opening the pumpkin patch to the public as a “U-pick” experience.

Special Father-Daughter Experience

With the family’s two older daughters away at college (Jamie is in her third year at Southeast Missouri State, and Sara is in her second year at Mizzou), Katie, a senior at St. Francis Borgia Regional High School, is the only “girl” left to help run the business. John said it has really been something special to have had that experience of working alongside each of his daughters, all three of whom have helped since they were little.

“Jamie used to have her own table and cash box set up,” he said, noting she sold ears of corn and other produce. “It was a great learning experience for them.”

In grade school, when their class began to learn how to count money, the Kopmann girls had a leg up on their peers. They had already been handling money and making change for customers at the produce stand.  The work also taught the girls soft skills, like how to talk with people, which is invaluable at any age.

But the girls have always done more than just sell the produce. They help grow it, from the ground up — planting, caring for the crops, hoeing the weeds and picking pieces when they are ready.

40 Varieties of Pumpkins

Planting pumpkins begins in early June, which works out well because all three girls are home for the summer, said John. They rely on Mother Nature to provide the water needed for the plants to grow, but the sisters watch for bugs and fungus and spray as needed.

The Kopmanns have around 40 varieties of pumpkins to offer, many with different growing seasons. Some are ready after 85 days, while others need as much as 115 days.

Some of the pumpkins grow in unexpected shapes and colors, which provides an element of fun to the patch. “You just plant the seeds and watch what comes up,” John said.

The patch has been open for three weekends, but there are still plenty of pumpkins and squash available, John said.

For most pumpkins, prices are based on weight, selling at 40 cents per pound. The smaller pumpkins and gourds are sold by the piece.

Customers who visit the patch are given a pair of clippers and a wagon to take out into the field as they search for their perfect pumpkins to snip from the vine.

There are several oversized pumpkins available. John guesses they are close to 200 pounds. He has a sheet at the cash stand that he will use to help you get it up to the cash stand and into your vehicle.

“We roll it onto the sheet and then two people can carry it, each grab a corner,” he said, noting he’s already sold a few oversized pumpkins this season.

If You Go . . .

Three Girls and a Tractor’s pumpkin patch is located off of Highway 94, just west of Peers Store. Watch for the sign at the gravel road turn.

The patch is open weeknights by appointment or by chance and Saturdays and Sundays from around 9 a.m. to dark (around 6 p.m.).

If you’re not looking for the you-pick experience, but still want fresh produce, you’ll find John or his daughter at the Washington Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

You can pay for your produce with cash or Venmo.

For more information, find 3 Girls and a Tractor on Facebook, call 636-357-8075 or email girlsandatractor@aol.com.