Slideshow: Pumpkin Paradise At Dan Schantz Farm
Managing Editor Kevin Yanik paid a visit this week to Dan Schantz Farm and Greenhouse, the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" of painted pumpkins, in Zionsville, Pa. Check out a slideshow of some of Dan Schantz's fun creations.<
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One of Dan Schantz Farm's pad-pressed pumpkins.© 2011 -
Dozens of clown pumpkins that are eventually bagged with a paint set kids can use to color in the design.© 2011 -
Tom Zale, growing systems specialist, leads a four-person team that produces all pad-pressed pumpkins.© 2011 -
Pads, at left, and the paints used on Dan Schantz's pumpkins.© 2011 -
A closer look at a pad. If you look closely at the top of the photo, you'll see the face that's pressed into pumpkins.© 2011 -
Another pad-pressed design.© 2011 -
Color Me Pumpkin set of three pumpkins© 2011 -
Dan Schantz Farm also handpaints pumpkins and other gourds like these.© 2011 -
A finished painted gourd© 2011 -
A cart full of painted pumpkins© 2011 -
Dan Schantz paints thousands of larger pumpkins each year, as well. A number of seasonal employees like Dan Kijak (pictured), who has a career in landscape design, take about six weeks off each year to participate in the pumpkin painting extravaganza. Kijak paints about 600 pumpkins each year with Jon Kern, his partner in crime.© 2011 -
Arrrrrgh!© 2011 -
Good ol' glue keeps those fire chief hats on those pumpkins. A layer of shellac gives each pumpkin that extra shine.© 2011 -
These two-faced pumpkins were specially ordered.© 2011 -
The creativity is never ending in pumpkin designs.© 2011 -
Emilio "T"Â Gonzalez plays a key role in making sure each order winds up where it's supposed to go. Behind "T"Â is a display referred to as "The Tower."© 2011 -
Steve Thomas with his wife, Cindy, who's come up with hundreds of pumpkin designs over the years for Dan Schantz.© 2011 -
Here's Thomas again with Head Grower Paul Hardiman, whom both graciously opened their doors to Greenhouse Grower.© 2011 -
Pumpkins aren't the cleanest items when they're harvested, so Dan Schantz runs them through a washer that does the trick.© 2011 -
Dan Schantz also harvests Indian corn as a fall ornamental.© 2011
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Who knew being a greenhouse grower could be this much fun?
Come September at Dan Schantz Farm & Greenhouses in Zionsville, Pa., the greenhouses are converted into painting grounds for pumpkins. Name a face - be it that of a cat, a clown, or a firefighter - and Dan Schantz is probably painting it on its pumpkins that wind up at box stores, grocery stores and independent garden centers.
Managing Editor Kevin Yanik captured a variety of the painted pumpkins during his September 14 to Dan Schantz. Check them out in the slideshow.
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