Illinois pumpkin theft left a first-year operation in Boone County without nearly all of its unpicked orange pumpkins just days before a planned agritourism event, the owners said.
Meyers Family Farms in Capron reported that about 95 percent of its remaining orange pumpkins were taken shortly before the Boone County Farm Stroll, leaving too few pumpkins to offer the pick-your-own experience it had promoted. In a social media post, the farm told followers that what had already been harvested was all that remained for the season.
The incident capped a challenging first season in which the farm planted roughly 1,000 pumpkin plants, including traditional orange pumpkins and specialty types. Owners said they lost an estimated 10 to 15 percent of plants during transplanting, then worked through the summer to bring the rest to harvest. In a follow-up message, they noted the theft targeted only orange pumpkins. Specialty pumpkins and stackers had been harvested weeks earlier.
Illinois pumpkin theft and agritourism fallout
The loss forced the farm to cancel pumpkin picking during its first year participating in the Boone County Farm Stroll. According to the owners, their initial post was intended to alert CSA members and prospective visitors that picking would not be available.
As news spread, the farm said it began seeing online speculation, including suggestions that the incident might involve insurance fraud. The owners responded that they do not carry crop insurance, citing the cost of available programs and limited payouts, and said such coverage did not make financial sense for a first-year operation. They also stressed that the situation was not a fundraising effort.
Community members offered money, replacement pumpkins, and other help, but the farm said it had not accepted any donations. Nearby businesses, including TJ’s Market and Twisted Root, offered to share pumpkins from their own crops, according to the farm.
Theft cuts into agritourism plans
Meyers Family Farms said it has heard of similar pumpkin thefts affecting other growers in the Poplar Grove and Capron area and is aware of cases where people entered fields or took crops. In an earlier update, the farm said it received information that individuals possibly connected to the incidents could be men around 30 years old traveling in a silver four-door truck. The owners urged the public not to approach anyone they suspect and to report suspicious activity to authorities.
The farm emphasized that taking a pumpkin from a field or stand represents more than the sticker price. The owners wrote that while such incidents may fade from public attention, they are significant to growers who invest extensive time and labor. Despite the loss of most orange pumpkins, the owners said the setback will not derail their business financially. They plan to learn from the season and prepare for next year.
Other farms report problems
What stings most, they said, is losing the chance to share the harvest with families and children who would have visited this fall. The farm thanked the community for its support and encouraged residents to watch out for neighboring farms. They reminded would-be visitors that a pumpkin in a field is not free for the taking.
Organizers of events such as the Boone County Farm Stroll often rely on agritourism to connect local producers with visitors. State and local authorities, including the Illinois State Police and the Boone County government, encourage residents to report suspicious activity that may affect farms and rural businesses.