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There are pumpkins of all sizes available at the Mid-Coast Presbyterian Church at 84 Main St., in Topsham, where much of the proceeds benefit the Navajo farmers who grew them, as well as the church. Darcie Moore / The Times Record

TOPSHAM — Almost 3,000 pumpkins arrived at the Mid-Coast Presbyterian Church recently and are ready to go home with families.

This is an annual tradition for the church, though there are changes this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, such as the mandatory wearing of masks and keeping physical distance between visitors.

The pumpkins were raised by Native Americans on the Navajo Reservation in Farmington, New Mexico, an arid part of the country. Unemployment is 40% on the reservation and raising pumpkins is often the main source of employment for the entire year for these farmers, according to a press release from the church.

The pumpkins, once harvested, are trucked to various churches and other non-profit organizations that sell the pumpkins. The farmers receive 75% of the sale proceeds and the other 25% helps support local mission projects.

The Mid-Coast Presbyterian Church at 84 Main St., has a variety of sizes and kinds of pumpkins. The pumpkin patch is open daily from noon to 5:30 p.m. until Oct. 31.

Hundreds of pumpkins are still available for sale at the Mid-Coast Presbyterian Church in Topsham. Darcie Moore / The Times Record
It takes 15-month-old Aurora Crane of Boston only seconds to find a pumpkin at Mid-Coast Presbyterian Church’s pumpkin patch Tuesday. Darcie Moore / The Times Record

 

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