By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University
Fall fun. That’s the goal of a remarkable rural family enterprise that offers autumn activities such as a pumpkin patch and much, much more.
John and Shelley Gardner are the founders of Pumpkin Pants Ranch near Arkansas City. John was born in Ark City and worked in construction in Wichita. Shelley grew up in the Wichita area and worked in the insurance and risk management industry. They married and lived in the rural community of Rose Hill, population 4,185 people. Now, that’s rural.
The Gardners have two sons, Logan and Lane. When the boys were little, the Gardners enjoyed taking them to pumpkin patches in the fall. In 2009, the Gardners bought 80 acres from John’s parents. The property is located four miles east of Arkansas City.
The Gardners thought it would be a fun place to have a pumpkin patch there themselves someday. As the family discussed it, Lane suggested it could be named Pumpkin Pants Ranch. “The silly name stuck,” Shelley said.
When John retired, he figured the pumpkin patch would be a good encore career. Shelley said that after working in the corporate world for almost 40 years, she traded her work attire, cute shoes and accessories for muck boots, denim and garden tools.
In 2023, the Gardners opened Pumpkin Pants Ranch. The facility has grown to include more than 30 attractions for families. “We change it up each year,” John Gardner said. An Attraction Development grant from Kansas Tourism has helped them expand.
Pumpkin Pants Ranch is open on weekends from Sept. 20 through the last weekend of October.
“In addition to pumpkins, we have slides for kids, hay rack rides, and a giant chair you can take pictures in,” John Gardner said. “There are pedal cars and a sluice where kids can mine for gems.”
Shelly adds: “We have a playhouse and kids can fish for things with magnets.”
There’s a jump pad, barrel train, 10 acre corn maze, bouncy balls, corn pit, gift shop, tipis, and basketball shooting. There’s corn hole, a milking cow, and a fire pit to make s’mores.
“We have a giant Mr. Potato Head where kids can add body parts,” Gardner said, plus lots of places for photo opportunities around the ranch.
The Gardners built four new structures on the place, including a 66 x 60 foot barn. Even a simple gravel pile with little Tonka trucks provides hours of entertainment for the little kids. “Kids will be out there forever,” Gardner said.
Then there are the animals.
“We have free range guineas, ducks, turkeys, and chickens,” Shelley said. “Our 15 bunnies are surprisingly docile.” They live in an extensive bunny town.
There’s a miniature Dexter bull, a miniature Highland bull, a donkey, 13 goats, and 13 longhorns. The gift shop includes the Gardners’ products plus items made by other local crafters.
Son Logan married Savana and they now have two children. Savana designed the whimsical Pumpkin Pants Ranch logo, depicting a pumpkin-headed scarecrow wearing jeans.
“She is so talented,” Shelley said.
Son Lane went to Iowa for two years and is now back helping on the ranch and operating a mobile bar business.
Pumpkin Pants Ranch offers daily admission or a season pass with unlimited admission, purchased in advance. “It’s fun to have the busy weekends and then field trips during the week,” Shelley said.
At the end of the season, they will have a celebratory party called a Barn Bash with food and musical entertainment. In the spring, the ranch hosts an Easter Egg hunt. In December, the ranch will host a special Christmas event.
“We want people to come out and visit,” Shelley said. While visiting Kansas, visitors have come to Pumpkin Pants Ranch from as far away as South Korea, Switzerland, Norway and France.
For more information, go to www.pumpkinpantsranch.com.
Fall fun. That’s the goal of the Pumpkin Pants Ranch. We salute John and Shelley, Logan and Savana, and Lane Gardner for making a difference with entrepreneurship and continuous improvement in agritourism.
They are helping create fall fun for all.
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