Farmers celebrate fall harvest at Battersea Pumpkin Festival

Catherine Reynolds | Sep 28, 2016

“It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the spring, who reaps a harvest in the autumn.”

That adage by Bertie Forbes before his death 62 years ago is still as true today as it was then.

Fresh from a harsh summer of hot and dry weather, local farmers are preparing to celebrate this autumn what they faithfully planted in the spring at the Battersea Pumpkin Festival

“The festival is coming together really well,” says Brian Ward, festival coordinator. “It’s our 22nd annual festival and we have a full roster of music and activities.”

Organized by volunteers, the festival on Oct. 1 is the highlight of the year for the small village, which is flanked by Loughborough and Dog Lakes.

“Last year, we had 2,000 people attend our festival,” says Ward. “We’re hoping good weather brings the same number this year.”

Volunteers have started baking cookies and painting signs & decorations. Corn stalks are lining the festival wagon route and pumpkins are appearing around the village.

At the heart of the festival is locally grown and produced food. Women from around the area donate homemade pies to a pie social at Battersea United Church. The Storrington Firefighters’ Association make beef on a bun, and families converge on the farmers’ market to sell homegrown produce and homemade products.

The festival is a celebration of the grassroots talent in South Frontenac Township. It has grown to include family-friendly activities such as a corn maze, haunted barn, train rides and pancake breakfast.

Admission to the festival is a mere $5; the same price when it started in 1994. To reduce financial barriers, the cost for a family is capped at $20. Children under two are admitted free.

The festival starts with a pancake breakfast at the Holiday Country Manor and ends with a pie-eating contest at the Battersea Ball Field at 3:30 pm.

Coordinator for the past three years, Ward says he felt the festival’s magic the first time he attended 14 years ago.

“It was obvious then that this is a wonderful way for the community to come together,” he says from his home. “There are a lot of parts that come together to form one big event… so many things going on for a small place. There truly is something for everyone.”

To view a full line-up of festival activities, go to the Battersea Pumpkin Festival page on Facebook.