Find your fall decorations at local growers

With fall in full swing, many people seem to be feeling festive and are working on fall decorations.

While there are many retailers you can purchase fall decorations from around Weakley County, the following options are places that feature locally grown pumpkins and other items.

Parham Pumpkins is located on Jewell Store Road just east of Dresden, Tennessee. Keith Parham and his family have been operating the business for the past eight years. Their patch operates on an honor system and is open from sunrise to sunset during the season. They offer pumpkins and gourds in various shapes and sizes and straw bales also are available. This year, a patch of sunflowers and zinnias is located right next to the pumpkin patch for photo opportunities.

Nanney Farms is located south of Martin in Sharon, Tennessee. They offer hayrides from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and from 2-6 p.m. on Sundays. They offer straw, mums, cornstalks and pumpkins throughout the week with a dropbox for payment. Pumpkins grown by Nanney Farms also can be seen at the “Once Upon a Pumpkin” display at Discovery Park in Union City.

Holt Family Farms has been operating for the past 12 years and is open until the last Saturday in October (Oct. 30). Holt Family Farms is owned and operated by former state Rep. Andy Holt and his family. They offer field trips from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays and Fridays with a variety of children’s activities, including a petting zoo and hayrides in addition to decor sales.

Both Nanney Farms and Holt Family Farms offer several decoration packages and will deliver and set up for an additional fee.

The Martin Farmers Market is another place to find all things fall. The market is located across the street from the new City of Martin Public Library in downtown Martin, Tennessee. It opens at 2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and at 8 a.m. Saturdays.

For those who would rather see a display than create one, Discovery Park of America is hosting “Once Upon a Pumpkin” throughout October. The park contracted with Nanney Farms of Sharon for 40,000 pounds of locally grown pumpkins.

The pumpkin village is an annual tradition at Discovery Park that was put on pause in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pumpkins from the display are not available for purchase.

“This year we thought it would be a great opportunity for a fun outdoor family activity, and so far we’ve had a great response. It’s something the community wanted us to bring back, and we listened,” said Clare Saum, director of marketing at Discovery Park.

This year’s theme focuses on popular fairy tales – visitors can see anything from Goldilocks to Simba from Lion King in the display. Access to the exhibit is included in general admission.  Local businesses Williams Sausage, Commercial Bank and Searcy Building Contractors sponsored the pumpkin village this year.