The Garden staff is always looking for ways to create memorable visitor experience. The Pumpkin/ Gourd display that we created October 2016 is just that! The Alabama Food Bank food-collaborate program was a key part in making it happen. We ordered pumpkins through The Farm Food Collaborative. It is North Alabama’s first local food hub. They help family farmers sell fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to public schools, hospitals, grocery stores, restaurants, and workplace cafeterias. J Calvert Farms of Cullman, Alabama grew a beautiful selection of pumpkins for display and educational purposes.
The Horticulture staff prepared the area by creating a background with ornamental grasses, zinnias, cosmos and mums. The sloped area was chosen to enhance the view of the display. The real fun was placing the pumpkins once we agreed on a design. Carol Lambdin, our Special Project Coordinator, lead the staff to see her solar flare. Hay bales are planted with pumpkins. A giant cornucopia was built and wrapped in burlap. A pumpkin arch is displaying with 12’ stalks of Mexican Corn.
The star of our fall display is a 1949 8N Ford Tractor completely refurbished. Jim Merrell refurbished and donated the tractor to the garden. While the tractor runs well I wanted the chance to share it with the public. It is a truly historic and an outstanding photo opportunity. When you visit the garden be sure to tell us how much you enjoyed this fall display. We would love to make it a garden tradition.
To learn more about the Farm Food Collaborative, please click here.
