A proposed new pumpkin patch on the former Young's Farm at the southeast corner of highways 69 and 169 in Dewey-Humboldt will not open to the public after the property owner nixed a caretaker's plans on Friday.
Peter Kosc, caretaker of the farm in Dewey, sought the town's permission to charge admission into an event that included allowing children and adults to pick pumpkins off the vine every day from the end of September to Nov. 1.
Kosc had wanted to call the spot "Peter's Pumpkin Patch," and bring back an 8-acre corn maze and popular local farmer Buzz Fournier to offer hayrides - which the farm did for years until it closed in 2006.
But late Friday morning, Young's Farm landholder Don Allison sent an e-mail to Dennis Price, the town's director of community development, saying Kosc "does not have the owner's permission to hold any public event or activity on the property known as Young's Farm."
Allison goes on to say that at this time, he and Kosc "have not reached a resolve."
"Until you get written notice that Peter has the property owner's approval, do not issue any permits," Allison wrote to Price.
Town Manager William Emerson said the town initially held off on issuing a permit to Kosc for the pumpkin patch until it received word from the Central Yavapai Fire District and the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office about its safety.
Dewey-Humboldt had been willing to move forward with a permit until Allison informed the town of his wishes. Under federal and state law, on private property, the landowner has the final say.
"We ordinarily do not need the owner to apply for a permit because of 'implied' or 'apparent' authority of the caretaker, deriving from the principal-agent relationship," Emerson said. "Now, we won't be issuing the permit. We will have to shut it down since the owner will not allow it to have a permit."
***
Although pumpkins are not available in Dewey, Prescott is sponsoring an event on Oct. 24 that will give folks a chance to buy the ever-popular gourds.
Prescott's Pumpkin Patch & Carnival will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that Saturday at the Courthouse Plaza. Included in the day's events is "The Great Pumpkin Patch," in which children and adults can pick out their own pumpkins for a small fee.
For more information, call 777-1349.
Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Article comment by:
Sad, Sad, Sad
I for one worked for alot of years at Youngs Farm. For those of you who thought things were overpriced, it's cost a lot to run a festival. The Young's weren't in it to get rich thet truely enjoyed the smiles on kids faces. Peter also loved the joy this brought kids and wanted to offer this again but on a smaller version. I have a 15 month old grandson who I took to a local so called pumpkin patch last year. I cried. It was soo sad and made me wish that youngs farm was still here. I was excited to think that I would be able to take him there this year. I for one am sad to see that property sit vacant. You would think the owners would want some sort of return on their investment. I think it's a sad day when lose site on the joy kids get versus the almighty dollar. Peter I think it's awesome that you were willing to do this for the kids in the community. Im sorry it didn't work out!
Posted: Monday, October 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
Where were all of you when the Youngs put out the word they needed money to save the farm? There were fund-raising efforts, you know....virtually no one donated.
Posted: Monday, October 05, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
This is disappointing.
When i mentioned the impact that Young's Farm had on this community, i was NOT in any way talking money! I was not talking the overpriced food, whatever else that "no name provided" mentioned. I was however talking about the joy that my children ( and others I am sure) had just being there and learning. They loved the hay ride around the turkey farm (Yes they did understand that those cute little turkeys would grow up to be someone's Thanksgiving dinner) they loved the pumpkins. Even if it was just one day a year my children were thrilled to go there and learn. They were very disappointed that it had closed down and are discouraged because they won't be able to take their own children there to experience the fun!
Posted: Monday, October 05, 2009
Article comment by:
The Youngs are gone...
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Posted: Monday, October 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Insurance-He has it!!!
To all those talking about the property owner's liability, I will be happy to let you know that Mr. Kosc has the proper insurance in place to cover the event so don't be so quick to think that you know what you are talking about because you don't!!!!
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
The people glad to see Young's Farm gone are the same people who have been calling for Sharlot Hall Museum to close and the Elks Opera House to be torn down. I hope they are just a noisy minority, but I'm not convinced of that---there sure seem to be a lot of them around. It is the "big city" mentality---the words "quality of life" mean having a Wal-Mart near their homes.
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2009
Article comment by:
thinking
It's a shame that everybody wants to blame the property owner. if you really think about it there probably is a requirement for an insurance policy to cover the owner in the event someone or some child would get hurt. Mr. Kocs was probably unable to acquire this little item to cover his idea and the owner didn't want to be left out in the cold and liable if something did happen. It's not remembering what it's like to be a kid or not, it's being responsible to the public. O'well we just have to get over it.
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2009
Article comment by:
shame on some of you
I worked at Young's Farm when I was in high school, and let me tell you that people would bring their children from the CITY to have hands on to teach your children that milk comes from a cow, eggs come from a chicken, vegetables come from a garden - not the grocery store! youngs farm had fresh chicken and turkey etc. there is nothing like eating something that has no hormones or anything else that gov. has put in our food. the taste cannot be beat! and I enjoyed working there. you know how many jobs were lost when they shut down youngs farm?? do you? a lot!
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Apparently no one is considering the landowner's liability in this situation. If someone were to get hurt, the landowner is the one who would be sued, not the caretaker making the money from the event. My family enjoyed the Young's Farm Pumpkin Festival for years too - but it isn't Young's Farm anymore! It is time for all of us to move on!
Posted: Sunday, October 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Re: No Name, native, MR. ALLISON!
Where is your heart!! For years I brought my grandkids to Youngs Farm for the pumkins. It was a sad when it was the last time. Obviously the ones that feel "it's good ridance" has forgotten what it's like to be a kid and little pleasures in life. Just remember--what goes around...comes around.
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
native
Doesn't anyone understand the meaning of PRIVATE property?...people think Mr. Allison should allow this event? The public has no say to what should and should not be done on PRIVATE land. As for me good ridance to Youngs farm.
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
No fun at all
No name why the nasty letter,are you the farms new owner?Hateful arnt you!
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
It's sad enough that Youngs farm is gone, but for this man to "shoot down" a simple little festival to bring some of that fun we all used to have at pumpkin festivals is very "scrooge-like." Its all about the money for this landowner.
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Oh the impact Young's farm had on the community. Overpriced food, overpriced, shipped from Phoenix pumpkins. No parking. dirty, dusty place to buy "real farm" products and plastic trinkets just so people could play Farmer John for one month a year and pretend it was the "good ol' days". People grow up, your not cowboys and your not farmers so keep your dressing up to Halloween!
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
disgusted
yep just what we needed more houses so out goes the farm and now with the downturn in the housing market it just sits and no corn/no pumpkins just ground that could have been wonderful.
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Paul
I just went by the farm yesterday, and their pumpkin patch is loaded. I hope Don Allison allows this operation to go on. Lets not let them go to waste!
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Rose
How sad it is to see that someone would want to put a stop to something that give's joy to chidren in the area. I was happy to see that the pumpkins were back at Young's Farm. I was going to bring my three year old there so that he could pick out his very own pumpkin. What a shame one person has to ruin it for everybody. I guess it's true when they say...."One bad apple spoils the whole bunch". I do realize though that One should make sure that all the I's are dotted and he T's are crossed, but still. Have a heart.
Posted: Saturday, October 03, 2009
Article comment by:
disappointed
once again scrooge lives on!!! bah humbug!!! this man clearly does not know the impact that young's farm has had on this community for years. chances are, since he sent an email, doesnt even live near by!!!
thanks, scrooge, its people like you that turn the next generation into selfish morons!!!
