LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.)
Fall’s glorious display of pump
kins, gourds, and cornstalks sprout
throughout the county. But tucked
away on a back winding road of
Manheim is a fall display you
won’t find any other place.
It’s pumpkin-faced people and
gourds. Whimsical faces, complete
with either freckles or long-lashed
eyes, reveal the artistic talents of
Yvonne Geib. A few one-eyed
pirates appear among the rows of
these pumpkin-face characters,
but, for the most part, they are smil
ing. You won’t find a sad or
wicked face among this fall collec
tion because the creator prefers
happy faces.
Both toothy and toothless grins,
charming smiles, mischievous gri
mances, and goofy expressions
appear on these delighful little
characters of all sizes that each
seems to exert a novel personality.
Other years, the pumpkins were
sold from a tractor and wagon
parked on the farm. But this year,
Yvonne and her husband Larry set
up their pumpkin display in a gar
age on their farm. In addition to the
painted pumpkins and gourds, they
offer plenty of natural pumpkins,
cornstalks, and Indian corn.
Pumpkin varieties include neck.
No two pumpkins are alike for these. .artists. Yvonne ai jr-
In-law, Anna Marie Gelb, spend many hour? painting whimsical expressions on
pumpkins and got
SA . *
* ■ . >•
.. JI L ■* - .sneer or a sad face among this collection of pi
kins. These happy faces delight folks of all ages.
Unique Pumpkins Sold At Manheim Farm
Those Pumpkin-Faced People
green-striped, Jack-O-Lanterns,
Little Dippers, Spooky Nooks, and
Jadk B Littles.
This pumpkin fantasy land had
its beginnings six years ago. That
was the year that Yvonne painted a
pumpkin and set it at the end of
their farm lane. A neighbor spotted
it and asked Yvonne to paint one
for her.
Since then, the news of the
whimsical pumpkins spread and
people come from afar to purchase
them. They range in price from $5
to $B.-
Last year, Yvonne sold about
200 pumpkins. She couldn’t keep
up with the demand, so she soli
cited her mother-in-law, Anna
Marie Geib, to help.
Each artist has a a distinct style.
Customers can identify the artist
because Yvonne always sprinkles
a few freckles on her work and her
mother-in-law adds a few long
lashes as her trademark.
Both paint the faces freehand
with acrylic paints. Mistakes can
be washed off with water and a new
look applied. No two pumpkins are
ever alike since the duo are always
on the lookout for different
expressions.
Pumpkins that are smoother on
the surface are easier to paint,
according to Yvonne. When the
face is completed, the pumpkins
Larry, Yvonne, and son Ron arrange the pumpkin display In the garage. A mini-farm
zoo with plgymy goats, rabbits, and kittens Is enjoyed by the children who visit the
farm.
are sprayed with a clear gloss.
Last year, Yvonne set three of
her painted pumpkins at the end of
the farm lane. But someone stole
the pumpkins.
“It gets a bit time-consuming to
Laneattar Firming, Saturday, Saplambar 24, 1904-B3
replace stolen pumpkins,” Yvonne too rainy when the blossoms polli
said. Now a wagon-load of the nated. Whatever the reason, pump
pumpkins set at the end of the lane, kin fields are not as profuse as in
but not the painted ones. Visitors recent years,
must come in the long farm lane to On the Geib farm, customers can
see the painted pumpkins. browse among the display to find
, The Geibs plant one and a half that perfect face" or the multi
acres of pumpkins. This year, like colored Indian com. It’s a self
other area growers, the Geibs are service stop that includes a mini
finding pumpkins are not as plenti- petting zoo,
ful as last year. Growers say that
many pumpkins rot or that it was
ifomestecd
JTotes
Yvonne Geib. one v ited pumpkins In front
of the garage where she also sells Indian gourds, corns
talks, and numerous varieties of pumpkins.
(Turn to Pag* B 4)