The Great Gourd Takeover: How Floydada Became the Woke Pumpkin Capital of the US

Tucked away in the Texas High Plains, the tiny town of Floydada—population 2,700, because of course it is—has dubbed itself the "Pumpkin Capital of the United States." Sure, Illinois, you might grow the most pumpkins, but have you ever fueled basic white girl fall aesthetics like Floydada? Didn't think so.

This High Plains region—which includes Floydada, Dalhart, Muleshoe, and even Clovis, New Mexico—churns out between 4,000 and 7,000 acres of pumpkins annually. Floydada alone grows 1,000 to 1,500 acres, with over 175 unique varieties. From your basic jack-o'-lanterns to those decorative gourds that Karen from marketing loves, Floydada's got you covered.

Farms like Pumpkin Pyle and Assiter 'Punkin' Ranch have made Floydada the go-to spot for all your pumpkin needs. You'll see those "Grown in Floydada" labels in supermarkets and farmers' markets, because apparently, even pumpkins need to be locally sourced and artisanal now.

How the Hell Did Floydada Become the Pumpkin Capital?

Brace yourself for a trip through Floydada, where the pumpkin propaganda is strong. There are tiny pumpkins on the welcome sign, giant ones in parking lots, and banners screaming "Pumpkin Capital of the U.S." It's like if Hallmark Channel movies and Big Pumpkin had a baby.

Every year, on the second Saturday in October, Floydada throws a massive pumpkin party. There are gourds everywhere, jack-o'-lanterns painted on every surface, and probably a boatload of pumpkin spice lattes.

Floydada's modern pumpkin obsession started in the 1950s with B.A. "Uncle Slim" Robertson and his wife selling pumpkins from a roadside stand, according to a proclamation archived by the Texas State Legislature. From a few acres, it grew into a full-blown industry, peaking in the early 1990s with 15 to 20 million pumpkins annually.

But the pumpkin history goes way back. Legend says that in the 1540s, Spanish explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's crew was saved by roasted pumpkins from native tribes near Blanco Canyon. Because what's a good origin story without some colonialist drama?

By the 1980s, Floydada had trademarked itself as the Pumpkin Capital of the United States and even the Pumpkin Capital of Texas. Because in Texas, if you're not the capital of something, are you even trying? 😏