Omaha Exploration

This area has its fair share of pumpkin patches including Skinny Bones in Blair, Welch’s in Council Bluffs, Bellevue Berry & Pumpkin Ranch, Nelson Produce Farm in Valley and the biggest one of them all: Vala’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard. Perhaps less well known is Markmann Pumpkin Patch.

Located on 120th and Military Road, Markmann’s is a family owned farm that dates back to 1887. It was started by William Markmann who emigrated from Germany just five years earlier. While working for Omaha Smelting Works, William had his leg crushed. The accident was so severe that he was disabled for two years afterwards. Once he recovered, he bought the farm. According to the assessor, the house on the property was built in 1910 and the hog shed in 1920. After William passed away, his son William Jr took over and built the corn crib in 1950. I believe the farm is now owned by a fourth generation of the Markmann family, Willie. 

I don’t believe that Markmann does any advertising but they don’t need to. For those that are in the know, they return every year due to its unbeatable price. Already picked pumpkins are available as are gourds and hay bales. If you’d rather have the experience of picking your own, you can do that as well. They provide wagons that you can use to load and transport your pumpkins. They also offer a small playground to entertain the kids and a historic building that remains open which I believe may have been the hog shed. Be sure to bring cash as they don’t accept cards.

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Until next time, keep exploring!

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