Perkins Pumpkin Patch will return for fall fun September 25

With the help of her family, Nikki Sims Perkins brought a fun and family-friendly pumpkin patch to the Statesboro area in 2021 with the opening of Perkins Pumpkin Patch in Brooklet.

Perkins Pumpkin Patch will open for its second season on Sunday, September 25 Credit: Nikki Perkins

With the help of her family, Nikki Sims Perkins brought a fun and family-friendly pumpkin patch to the Statesboro area in 2021 with the opening of Perkins Pumpkin Patch in Brooklet.

The patch will be back again this year, with opening day scheduled for Sunday, September 25. The patch will be open on Sunday afternoons from 1-7pm and is located at 7275 Brooklet-Denmark Road.

Perkins started this venture with the goal of bringing a true autumn pumpkin patch experience to Bulloch County. While there are other patches in surrounding areas, this one is the first of its kind here.

"There's nothing else like this here in Bulloch County," Perkins said. "We just wanted to give people somewhere to go and something to do. I was really impressed with the support we had last year."

This year's patch will feature all of the family favorites from last year, including a bounce house, pumpkin painting, and face painting. Perkins is also hoping to add games this year.

Her mother, Jeanie Sims, owner of Gigi's Signature Treats, will also bring back the snack shack with fall favorites like candied apples, chewy cake, cotton candy, popcorn, and drinks.

There will be be plenty of fall photo opportunities throughout the patch, with an old red pickup truck, a wooden wagon, and the cornstalks nearby.

A white pumpkin grows on the vine in Bulloch County soil at Perkins Pumpkin Patch (Photo Courtesy Nikki Perkins)

And, of course, there will be pumpkins galore.

Perkins's husband, Lyn, works in agriculture and has handled the science of growing pumpkins in our Bulloch County soil, which can be a tricky process.

"He has taken it as a challenge," she said, "Because it's not easy."

She noted that the heat, precipitation, and soil content can all affect the yearly crop, but with Lyn's expertise, this year's crop is coming in nicely.

Pumpkins in different shapes, sizes, and colors will be available on the vine to "pick your own," and there will be a huge selection already picked and ready to purchase, as well. Last year, Perkins said, the unique shapes and colors were the most popular.

The patch will be open until the pumpkins run out. Last year, Perkins harvested pumpkins every two days or so, and that gave the patch a run of about four weeks. She'll be updating the patch Facebook page with information on the tentative closing date this season.