Hello! I’m Roman the Gnome! Come along with me as I tell you all about my favorite fall destination in Roseau County: Heppner Pumpkin Patch. 

First, I’ll tell you how Heppner Pumpkin Patch came to be! Although this small business has not been operating as long as some others in the area, it still has a unique and rich history. The original idea came from founder, Diedrich Heppner, who has always loved farming. Whether it be a small hobby garden, a whole pumpkin patch, or widespread agricultural farming, he enjoys it all. 

His love for pumpkins specifically began when he was just a young lad like myself. At 12 years old, he sold pumpkins at Milo’s Hearts grocery store in Warroad, MN to earn some extra cash. Then, in 2002 he started selling them at Doug’s Supermarket and SuperOne Foods before moving to the current location just east of Roseau along the well-known Highway 11.

Since then, the Heppners have been really able to expand – not only their vegetable variety but also their logo and yard setup. They even established their own clothing line! (Sweatshirts are available for purchase in the Granary!) They have added giant corn stalks, cute little gourds, and many new varieties of pumpkins. My favorites are the new knucklehead kind. They are orange pumpkins covered with green warty lumps!

In 2021 the Heppners expanded and put a Granary on site which houses all of the fresh squash, gourds, indian corn, corn stalks, and mini pumpkins which are organized into crates for customers to handle easily. 

A cute photo op was set up inside the building as well. It was the perfect resting spot and I even got my picture taken. Yard games like box hockey (you don’t even have to know how to skate), carpet ball, and mini pumpkin tic-tac-toe fill up the surrounding area.

Heppner’s Pumpkin Patch isn’t limited just to Roseau. They have smaller locations set up at Up North Treasure in Greenbush, MN and across from Wagon Wheel Ridge in Karlstad, MN. There you will find a trailer filled with bright orange pumpkins, gourds, and squash… perfect for busy on-the-go customers.

As a customer, I only see the final product when I travel to different places. I decided to dig deeper and ask the owners about the behind-the-scenes growing and harvesting process. Here is what I learned: In the winter months, Diedrich creates a plan for the upcoming season by ordering 20 different varieties of seed and mapping out where he wants each variety to be. Then once the wet spring season passes, he cultivates and fertilizes the soil before planting them in May. 

As they mature during the month of June, the plants are weeded daily to make sure they grow to their full potential. The pumpkins are generally ready the first week of September. From there, they are picked up daily and transported to the roadside granary for families to pick out. 

“It takes a lot of manual hard work and dedication but it’s something our family truly enjoys. We would like to thank the Roseau community and surrounding communities for their generous support. Thank you for helping our business grow!” – The Heppner Family

You heard it here folks! Make sure to stop by during the fall season to support this fun roadside business! You won’t regret it! 

Sincerely, your travel pal Roman

Make sure to check them out on Facebook – Updated pictures are posted on the Roseau          Area Sell and Swap Private Group!