Story by Ella Apisakkul
Staff Writer

Photo by Theo Thompson
Staff Videographer

Tahoe Pumpkin Patch, located on South Pasadena’s Mission Street since 1989, is a fixture within the community. 

They are only open in October, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 

The patch is decorated underneath a large tent with hay bales, Halloween decorations, various pumpkins, and a stand where patrons make purchases.

It sells a diverse selection of pumpkins, including some that fit in the palm of the hand and some that are as heavy as 200 pounds. 

“[The pumpkin patch has] been here for 20 years… mostly just to keep the old-fashioned [tradition] going so you don’t have to go to the store and buy [there], [and so] you can just [come to] the pumpkin patch,” the patch’s founder and owner, Anita Cagle, said. 

The patch has been South Pasadena-based since its opening. As it is the city’s only pumpkin patch, it is a staple that makes customers feel closer to the community. 

“When I saw the kids who were having so much fun, I thought, it’s like a safe place for them to go. And with C.O.V.I.D., they had a safe place to get out of the house, but … it’s just tradition,” Cagle said. 

To prepare for opening, the team clears weeds from the area and assembles the poles of the tent under which the patch is set up. 

The patch does not use elaborate decorations, thus setup is simple and does not pose a challenge. However, due to recent events, Cagle shares that they experience difficulty with gas prices.

“[We] have a big truck that comes here and delivers to us, from Oregon and Ventura, [but] right now, the [gas] cost is way up there. The cost is hurting us a little bit, but it’s alright. It’s for the kids,” Cagle said. 

The patch has a simple business model, keeping decorations minimum and only accepting cash. 

However, Cagle does not wish to change it, saying that “staying simple is my way to go. A lot of people have [bounce] houses and animals and stuff, but… that has nothing to do with Halloween or a pumpkin patch. And they charge a lot of money to get in… I don’t want to charge people.” 

Though other patches may decorate generously to attract patrons, South Pasadena’s trusts patrons to return despite their simple appearance. It focuses on quality, not quantity, keeping customers coming back with their hospitality instead of relying on the flashiness of material items. 

Their pumpkins are not always sold in large amounts, but each season varies. Any remaining pumpkins go to farms for animals to consume, to charities starting their own pumpkin patches, or are used for Thanksgiving festivities. 

Its minimal design is partially due to the fact that the patch aims for children to be comfortable. 

“I try not to keep it scary, so the kids get used to Halloween. Halloween isn’t all ghosts and goblins. Halloween [is] also princesses and astronauts, because the kids dress up as all kinds of things. So this is a place where it’s not all scary, blood and gore.” Cagle said.

Though their patrons include adults, they recognize that they are mostly families with young children, decorating accordingly. 

The patch aspires to give sponsors a small-town feel that is hard to find in a store chain. 

“I [love to] see families putting their phones down and spending time together, playing with the beanbags and all that. And when the kids come back and remember me from when they were really little, that right there is just special,” Cagle said.

Games inside the patch make it an experience rather than a quick purchase. 

Since the patch has existed for years, Cagle has created memories with visiting families. She loves discussing customers’ Halloween plans. Cagle’s love for South Pasadena gives Tahoe Pumpkin Patch a cozy feel that makes it special.

“I watch the kids grow up, and a lot of them are in college. They come and see me, and… it’s just like family,” Cagle said. “I think it is [important]. They tell me it is, and I’m grateful. I believe them, because the kids just love it.”

Even in small ways, Tahoe Pumpkin Patch works to keep a piece of comforting atmosphere in South Pasadena’s Halloween. For as long as they are open, the city will not lose its small-town holiday charm.