Pumpkin fruit is one unique fruit that has various uses. Whilst some people use it as a major ingredient in the preparation of food like pumpkin pie; others use it for decoration during the Halloween season. You can start a pumpkin farm and make some good money during the Halloween period too. You may also consider planting the seed during the late autumn season and it is ready for harvest around winter which is from October.
As long as you have knowledge on how to cultivate pumpkins, you can easily run a pumpkin farm. No special qualification is required for this line of business, so anybody can start the business. You plant your pumpkins and they are ready for harvest within 3 months. Just few business ventures can bring you returns within the first three month of starting the business, so if you are looking for an investment that will bring your quick returns, you can consider a pumpkin farm.
The pumpkin plant is a seasonal business, the demand comes only during the Halloween period; but with a good advert you are sure to sell of all your pumpkin fruits within the Halloween period because of the high demand for the fruit at the season. Therefore you may wonder how to start your own pumpkin farm; here are steps to guide you through;
Starting a Pumpkin Farm – Sample Business Plan Template
1. Study about Pumpkin Farming
If this is the first time you are starting this business, you need to have an extensive knowledge of how to cultivate pumpkins. You have to know the process involved in preparing the land for planting, the best time to start planting, steps for taking care of the pumpkin fruits till maturity and how to know the best time to harvest.
There are free eBooks and Write-ups on the internet to provide you this information. Also, you can look for a pumpkin farmer and ask some basic questions on what to expect on your first time of starting a pumpkin farm.
2. Develop a Business Plan
That running a pumpkin farm is a straight forward business does not mean that you will not draw up a business plan for it; you need to develop a plan on how you wish your farm to look like and how much you expect to make at the end of the harvest after you minus your expenses. It should also cover the amount you need as a start up capital, where your pumpkin farm will be located, how much will it take to take care of the pumpkin until maturity and how big your farm will be. This will serve as a road map to help you achieve your business goals.
3. Obtain a License-: You need to visit the town county and apply for a business license to run your pumpkin farm. You may also need to apply for a permit from the Department of Agriculture to allow you sale fresh farm produce, the licenses is free and ease to get.
4. Lease a Piece of Land
If you don’t have a personal land that will serve as your farm, you will need to lease a piece of land to serve as your farm. The size of the piece of land will depend on the size of pumpkins you wish to plant.
But, just note that there should be a space of 6 to 12 feet between pumpkin mould; and each mould is expected to contain at least 5 pumpkins. Just this basic calculation and multiply it with the number of seeds you wish to plant to know the size of land you need to lease.
Pumpkin plants don’t perform well where the weather is cold, they are generally sensitive to much cold; that is why they are planted during July when the weather is generally hot. So, the weather in the land location shouldn’t be generally cold. The best temperature for growing pumpkins is between 50F and 95 F
5. Purchase Your Farm Equipments-: If this is your first time starting this business, you will need to purchase your farm implements. Be sure to consult those who are already in the line of business to know the types of equipment to purchase to make work easier for you.
6. Source for Seeds
The next step is to source for seeds. Remember, that the quality of your harvest amongst other factors will depend on the quality of seed you planted. The best place to source for healthy seeds are from shops that sell dry fruits, and also from a pumpkin farmer that has seeds for sale.
The quantity of seeds you purchase all depends on the number you plan to harvest. Bear in mind, that there are many varieties of pumpkins and each of them have different procedure for taking care of them until harvest. After the seeds are ready, it is time to prepare your mould and plant the seeds.
7. Employ Workers
Unless you are growing a smaller farm and you are ready to do the work alone, you may need to employ hands to help you take care of the pumpkin plant from germination to maturity. The workers will handle the weeding, mulching and watering process. You may need to spray insecticides few times during the early stage of the plant to avoid attacks from pest.
8. Harvest and Sales
From the third month, the pumpkin fruit is generally ready for harvest. A good way to note if the pumpkin is ready for harvest is if the body turns to an orange colour all around the body, then chances are that by the time you are ready for the harvest the Halloween holiday is underway. The best way to sell the fruit is to sell in bulk to fresh fruit store owners, or wholesalers that buy in large quantities. You can still sell to individuals that come to your farm to buy.
What must you do now that you are armed with the information above? It is time for you to get your pumpkin farm started. Be sure to follow these tips religiously and also look for ways to get better at what you do. When you adhere to these rules then you can be sure that pretty soon you would smile to the bank.
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