Discover Delmarva: Parsons Farms Produce
DAGSBORO, De- Parsons Farms Produce has been a staple on Delmarva for over 30 years. We met up with the owners, Paul and Brittany Parsons, who gave us a tour of this iconic destination. Paul tells us, “You know, you come out to Parsons Farms. You’re going to get a nice hay ride back to the fields. You’re going to come back to a real pumpkin patch. You’re going to pick it right off the vine. We don’t place pumpkins in our field. ”
Arriving at the pumpkin patch, each row left a new adventure. From varying sizes, shapes, and colors, everything you see is not by chance but by design, according to Pau.l “Most people don’t really understand that you plant a certain seed. It grows a certain variety. When we plant that seed in the ground, we know exactly what size pumpkin it’s going to be, what color it’s going to be, and everything about that pumpkin.”From white pumpkins, striped pumpkins, lumpy pumpkins, to your regular run-of-the-mill orange pumpkin. The science is in the seed, with the unique growing conditions on Delmarva, lending a helping hand to a bountiful harvest. Paul explains that the pympkins “Really like the sandy soil. The water goes through the soil. They don’t like a wet bottom. It really makes the pumpkins nice and firm.”
The fun doesn’t stop in the fields. They have a variety of animals throughout the property from horses, goats, and even highland cows! Brittany says they’re super friendly and perfect with kids, but maybe the relationship is a little “food-focused”. Brittany tells us, “People can buy food inside the market and feed themselves. So we have them kind of separated out into different pastures, so they can walk around and feed the different animals and get to know them.”
In the market, you’ll find plenty of food for yourself, from sweets and treats to locally grown produce right in the heart of Sussex County. Brittany explains that this has become such an important factor for many families over the last few years. “I feel like there’s definitely been an uptick in that over the last couple of years. People are more interested and more curious about where their food comes from. But, a lot of the U-Pick we have is a lot of young families.”
With year-round their U-pick options of Strawberries, Blueberries, Peaches, and of course, pumpkins! Their pumpkin patch is officially open for the season! They have a wide range of activities to keep you entertained and plenty of food options to keep you full. To plan your visit, you can visit their website.
