seasons
Lawrence pumpkin patch suffers through nature's ravages
Janet Schaake, co-owner of Schaake's Pumpkin Patch, 1791 N. 1500 Road, stands in her pumpkin field, in which 75 percent of the crop was destroyed by a fall hailstorm.
By JL Watson Kansan staff writer
If Charlie Brown is waiting for the Great Pumpkin to rise out of the pumpkin patch, he'll have to wait until next year. Most of this year's patch was destroyed by a combination of rain and hall.
Larry and Janet Schaake own and manage Schaake's Pumpkin Patch, three miles east of Lawrence on 15th Street. They have been in operation for 16 years. This is the first year that Mother Nature has destroyed their crops of squash and gourds.
"Yield wise, the patch was three-fourths destroyed," Janet Schaake said. "The yield was already down because of the moisture, but the hail destroyed even more."
Not all of the pumpkins were destroyed, but the survivors are scarred with nicks and holes.
"Most of the customers are understanding." Schaake said. "A lot of them say, 'oh, that gives them more character.' Some of them think it was insects. They don't realize it was the weather."
Schake and her employees tell prospective buyers of the poor quality of pumpkins when they first drive up to the barn. A sign also informs customers that the crop is low.
The lack of plentiful picking did not deter Lawrence resident Gretchen Krivoshia from making the trip to the pumpkin patch.
"We've been coming here for six years," Krivoshia said. Krivoshia and her children spent about 20 minutes picking through the muddy patch until they found a suitable pumpkin. "See that big pumpkin?" Krivoshia asked, pointing down the center of a row. "It's the only one we found, but it must weigh at least 50 pounds. If we can't get a wheelbarrow to get it, we're leaving."
Krivoshia left with the pumpkin and a promise to return next year.
Doug and Stacey Hassig made the trip to the patch for the first time this year. "I feel sorry for the owners," Stacey Hassig said. "It makes me want to buy something from them just because the pumpkins are beaten up."
Hassig said she would get her pumpkin at Dillons this year.
The Schaake family hasn't given up hope for next year's crop. "We got enough to get new seed, fertilizer and spray," Schaake said. "We made enough to cover expenses." The remainder of this year's crop will be fed to the family's cattle, Schaake said.
Despite the losses, the Schaake's Pumpkin Patch will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The crop of Indian corn was not damaged, and there is also a good selection of birdhouse and dipper gourds, Schaake said.
Kansas City's
HaUNTeD H⁹USeS
Some businesses in the Kansas City area make it their job to scare you. Around this time every year abandoned warehouses
Around this time every year, abandoned warehouses become havens for ghouls, goblins and things that go bump in the night. Commercial haunted houses are open almost every night to scare the wits out of patrons for about $7.
"We have had people do a lot of things during their trip through — from fainting to peeing their pants," said Scott Wagner, a ghoul at Catacombs Haunted House. "People do a lot of funny things when they're scared."
Wagner said people came from as far as 1 1/2 hours away for the entertainment of being scared.
Many of the haunted houses in the Kansas City area boast attractions like five-story slides and mazes that lead to the fires of hell. Most haunted houses recommend that children under the age of 12 be accompanied by someone older.
Where to get scared
The Edge of Hell is below the 12th Street bridge near Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.
*Devil' a Darkside and The Beast also are underneath the 12th Street bridge.
Catactoma Haunted House, 1100
Santa Fe near the 12th Street bridge.
Madhouse, 14th and Main streets.
Doctor Deadly's, 1826 Forest St.
charges range from $6.50 to $4.50 a person.
Most are open nightly through Halloween from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 7:30 p.m. until no one remains in line Friday and Saturday.
Source: Kansan Staff Research
John Tanner, Overland Park resident, slams a fake foot on a coffin that patrons are preparing to enter.
Leslie Jennings, Kansas City, Mo., resident, jumps out of a painting and scares patrons in the Catacombs Haunted House.
Scott Wagner, Kansas City, Mo., resident, chases patrons through the halls of Catacombs Haunted House.
Photos and Story by Paul Kotz
Brian Graham, Kansas City, Mo., resident, surprises a patron of Comcatoms Haughted House. "When I turn on this chain saw and go after them they a lot of the times run back inside." Graham said. "The only problem is that sometimes
they won't come back out. But I get them eventually."
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Issues and trends at the University of Kansas.
calendar
EXHIBITIONS & LECTURES
Department of Slavic languages and literatures presents poetry readings by Aleksandr Kushner, visiting professor of Russian Literature, on the poetry of Aleksandr Pushkin from 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. today at 4037 Wescoe Hall and from his own poetry 7:30 p.m. Monday at Grace Pearson Scholarship Hall, free
Tour du jour — "Media and Materials," will be presented by Edmund Eglinski, associate professor of history of art and chair of the Kress Foundation, from 1:2:15 to 1:2:45 p.m. Thursday in the lobby of the Spencer Museum of Art, free.
Hallmark Symposium Lecture Series:
Matthew Carter, typographer, Carter and Cone Type, Inc., Boston, 6 p.m. Monday in the auditorium of the Spencer Museum of Art
Student Art Exhibit will be on display through Oct. 31 in the gallery on level four of the Kansas Union
Edward Bernstein, professor from Indiana University, Bloomington, will have his prints, drawings and sculpture on display through Oct. 22 in the gallery of the Art and Design Building, free
Matthew Carter, typographer, will have his typography on display Oct. 24-29 in the gallery of the Art and Design Building, free
PERFORMANCES
Fail Concert: KU Chairs with Concert Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Lied Center, public $3, students and senior citizens $2
Doctoral Recital: Todd Wilkinson, saxophone, 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Swarthout Recital Hall in Murphy Hall, free
University Theatre Series: "Assassins," book by John Weidman, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at Crafton-Preyer Theatre, public $12, KU students $6, senior citizens and other students $11
"Color Doesn't Matter." 8 p.m. Friday at the Lied Center, admission $8, students $5
Heart of America Marching Festival, 10:45 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium, public $3, students $2
See CALENDAR, Page 8.