By Sheridan Wimmer on October 1, 2026
Autumn Prairie Pumpkins in Newton sells pumpkins locally and pumpkin seeds nationwide
Christopher Snow’s backyard is a winding trail of more than 30 varieties of pumpkins
Sometimes it’s the smallest thing that can lead to big dreams and ambitions. When Christopher Snow was growing up as a child of a military father, his mom took him to a pumpkin patch in Germany. That one trip ended up being the reason for his love of pumpkins today.
“It was one of my favorite memories of my mom,” Snow says, whose mom has since passed away. “I come back here and immediately think of her.”
The backyard of Snow’s Newton home is stocked with creeping pumpkin vines, tracing their way up, around and over several trellises Snow put up. He started Autumn Prairie Pumpkins out of the enthusiasm he has for raising pumpkins.
“My full-time job is cybersecurity,” he says. “This is my fun-time job.”
A MENAGERIE OF GOURDS
The more than 30 varieties of heirloom and hybrid pumpkins grown in Snow’s backyard range from the Tromboncino squash, which is longer and skinnier than a traditional pumpkin, to the Long Island Cheese pumpkin. Snow’s favorite, though, is the Chinese tropical.
“I really like them because they’re very sweet and have a bit of a chestnut aftertaste,” he says. “They can last around nine months if you cure it right.”
Curing involves putting a harvested pumpkin in a warm spot with good airflow and turning them every few days for about 10 to 14 days.
Not only does Snow grow pumpkins, he sells seeds nationwide for others to grow their love of pumpkins. He isolates plants he saves seed from by putting blossom bags over a female flower and a male from the same vine the day before they open. This keeps bees from cross-pollinating, since his backyard set up is small when compared to other operations where there’s space between vines.
“We want to make sure we keep our seeds pure,” he says. “It’s kind of an extra step but it makes sure the seeds are really, really pure.”
He treats his seeds with an antimicrobial to keep bacteria and mold at bay.
FROM SEEDS TO SELLING
Snow’s memory of his mom was the inspiration, and his motivation is to help feed people. Snow sells pumpkins at a reduced price at the Harvey County farmers market.
“One of the reasons I did this is to help feed people,” he says. “These are hard times and people are struggling, so helping our community is really important to me.”
Similar to how a pumpkin seed grows into a gourd, a trip to the pumpkin patch as a child stuck with Snow after so many years that now, as an adult, he’s growing pumpkins in his backyard and selling pumpkin seeds around the U.S.
To learn more about Autumn Prairie Pumpkins and all of the products Snow offers, visit autumnprairiepumpkins.com.
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Sheridan Wimmer
Born and raised in Kansas, Sheridan Wimmer has an appreciation for the state’s agricultural diversity. Representing the best interests of Kansas farmers and ranchers is Sheridan’s jam (or jelly, no discrimination). Great food and wine are at the top of Sheridan’s sustenance list and she knows it wouldn’t be here... Read more
