A CALL TO THE COLORS

The feel of fall is drawing north country residents out to look for their jack-o'-lantern or pie pumpkins, but growers across the region report inconsistent crops this year.

Many large pumpkins grew at North Branch Farms, Belleville. Owner Jay J. Canzonier said he was surprised at the good crop, considering the cool and rainy summer months.

"We've been picking like crazy," he said. "I planted one field early and one late, and both are gorgeous."

The only difference from last year was slightly later maturity, but that was common to all cucurbits — members of the cucumber family, including melons and squash, he said.

"The hot weather in August really pushed a lot of stuff to mature," Mr. Canzonier said.

Compared with last year, he said, he had fewer problems with pollination and disease on his 8 acres of pumpkin plants. He grows a handful of varieties of pumpkins, including several disease-resistant varieties and the ever-popular Wolf pumpkin, which has large stems, or handles.

Mr. Canzonier grows carving pumpkins and wants them to be around 25 pounds.

"People gravitate towards the big ones," he said. "I've got thousands and thousands of pumpkins."

But others in the region didn't fare so well.

Gary S. Pecore, owner of Miller Farms Adirondack Market, Hopkinton, said the farm he contracts with didn't have the 20,000 to 25,000 pumpkins it usually does.

"They're absolutely gorgeous pumpkins," he said. "But the crop is very short."

He said the early cool, rainy weather, the lack of bees and some pumpkin blight hurt the crop. Most of the Northeast growers suffered from similar weather this year, and a report he read said pumpkin yield is down 40 percent across the region.

"We still have more than enough to go around," Mr. Pecore said.

Dani F. Baker of Cross Island Farms, Wellesley Island, said she had a good crop of pie pumpkins, bred for tasty texture.

"I'm really happy with our gourds and pie pumpkins," she said. "We've harvested almost all of them."

Because Cross Island is a certified organic farm, Ms. Baker uses companion planting for pest control. This year, she grew radishes among her pumpkins, squash and cucumbers, letting them go to seed. Radishes and sunflowers attracted birds to eat bugs, while she used a strong-smelling spray of water and cayenne pepper to deter cucumber beetles.

"I am really happy this year with how things went," she said.

Delta A. Keeney, co-owner of Windswept Meadows Farms, said the fall colors and weather have drawn people to her roadside stand on County Route 68. The stand has a wagon for gourds and pumpkins — about 300 to 400 of them, including three or four varieties such as Cinderellas.

"They're called that because they look like Cinderalla's carriage," she said.

So far, pumpkin sales have been brisk.

"Once people feel that first crisp morning, they say, 'Oh, it's autumn,'" Mrs. Keeney said. "When the sun has been out and it's been a nice day, we've had really good days."