Get produce 24/7 at Peterson Plantation
Sara Stadem | Editor
In 2018, Kelly and Jamie Peterson of Colton decided to take a “little hobby” and turn it into what is now known as Peterson Plantation, selling pumpkins, five varieties of squash and sweet corn.
Jamie, a Dell Rapids native, went to college at Northern State University in Aberdeen, receiving her undergrad and graduate degrees in Counseling. From there, she started working in Mitchell as a counselor where she would meet her future husband, Kelly. Jamie is now an Elementary Counselor/Success Coordinator for the Sioux Falls School District.
Originally from Woonsocket, Kelly went to Lake Area Technical Institute to be a diesel technician and currently works for North Central International. In addition, in his spare time, he is a volunteer firefighter for both Dell Rapids and Colton Fire Department and is an EMT with the Dell Rapids Ambulance on occasion, Jamie explained.
While growing up in Woonsocket, Kelly helped his uncles in the melon fields and loved the idea of farming with Jamie being a farm girl from the start, according to Jamie.
“When he (Kelly) got an acreage of his own in Baltic, he started growing squash, pumpkins and a few other vegetables,” Jamie said. She continued, “After we met, we dreamed of a bigger place with more land to expand the operation. Colton is where we found the home we love and the rest is history as they say.”
When asked how Peterson Plantation started, Jamie explained, “Well, Kelly was already growing produce when I met him and he just gave it away because it was a hobby for him. We continued to grow and follow this practice for several years.” She continued, “Once we moved to our home in Colton, he continued to expand the fields each year. His “little hobby” started to become an expensive one. We were probably growing one to one and a half acres of pumpkins and giving everything away. One year I finally said he had to start selling his pumpkins to pay for the costs because his hobby was getting out of hand! Thus, in 2018 Peterson Plantation was born.”
Jamie continued to explain from there they bought a better quality of seed and started selling pumpkins and started participating in area farmer’s markets. They also put a trailer at the end of their driveway using the honor system. “We try to keep our prices low enough to just cover the costs of the operation,” Jamie said.
Peterson Plantation currently plants about three acres of pumpkins, squash and sweet corn, according to Jamie. In addition, Jamie also has a smaller “normal sized” garden with a variety of other vegetables that she uses for canning.
“We sell a little bit of sweet corn, pumpkins and five varieties of squash: buttercup, butternut, spaghetti, acorn, and delicata,” Jamie explained. She continued, “Few people have heard of delicata squash but it’s one of our favorites. It’s also called the sweet potato squash. It’s quickly becoming a popular choice among our customers. We frequently give them out for people to try first before they buy. Almost every single time they come back to purchase more.”
Although the busiest time for the Peterson Plantation is the month of September due to the pumpkins, Jamie also explained sweet corn and squash typically get their season started around mid-August with business picking up around Labor Day. “In the past couple of years, we are nearly sold out before the month of October with only a handful of pumpkins left,” Jamie said.
What are the hours of operation for Peterson Plantation, you might be wondering? They are open 24/7 for produce, according to Jamie.
“We have a trailer at the end of our driveway that we keep stocked with produce. We use the honor system with the trailer. People will take what they want and put the money into a locked box on the trailer.” Jamie continued, “We find that people are very honest, and this is convenient because it’s open 24/7. We do allow people to come out to the pumpkin fields to pick their own out of the patch. Typically, they send us a message and we work out a time that works for both of us.”
Peterson Plantation can also be found at the local farmer’s markets in Hartford and Brandon and the gas stations in Colton and Baltic. Jamie further explained they give anyone a tour that requests to see about their operation or wants to know more about how they grow pumpkins. “Send us a message and we can make it work!” Jamie said.
Kelly and Jamie have three boys; Darin (4), Melvin (3) and Kendrick (18 months). Jamie explained their boys love talking about their pumpkins and helping in the fields and being outside in “their happy place.”
Peterson Plantation is not only teaching her boys, they are passing lessons on to others, according to Jamie. “Several years ago, a friend of ours in Sioux Falls volunteered to sell our pumpkins at her garage sale. The following year the same people came back asking if she had pumpkins to sell again. At the time, her oldest daughter was in middle school. Her daughter ended up selling our pumpkins out of her front yard. In return we gave her a percentage of the sales,” Jamie explained. She continued, “We wanted to help teach her about money management and entrepreneurship. One year she sold around 800 pumpkins! Our partnership with David and Rebecca Ohayon has been a blessing. Last year, we added another outlet in Dell Rapids. Our friends Shane and Lacey Deranleau started selling in their front yard. Their two oldest children are learning the same lessons and absolutely loved the experience. We enjoy the partnerships, and all the children are learning valuable life lessons.”
Last year Peterson Plantation sold about 2,700 pumpkins and this year their goal is to sell 3,000.
For more information, you can follow them on Facebook at Peterson Plantation.