New Holland Rochester works with local Optimist Club on Pumpkin Project

The Rochester Optimist Club is a part of Optimist International, whose motto is Friend of Youth. With that mindset, the Rochester Optimist Club has a project of raising and selling pumpkins each year in order to raise money to support youth projects and programs in the community. New Holland Rochester owners Jim, Matt, and Jesse Straeter are all members of the local Rochester Optimist Club who work on helping with the pumpkin project.

The pumpkins this year are some of our best looking ones ever!

Jim Straeter assembled the pumpkin washer shown originally in 2013. It has worked great in producing cleaner pumpkins, improving productivity, and most importantly, saving a lot of people’s backs from aching!

Matt and Jim Straeter out at the pumpkin patch. Both men help throughout the year in growing the pumpkins to make the patch looks great and turn out a good product in the field.

Matt Straeter (2013-4 Optimist Club President) and Wayne Krom (Optimist Club 2014-5 2nd Vice President and New Holland Regional Parts Manager), help pick pumpkins out at the patch.

Rachel Arndt (lawyer with Peterson Waggoner & Perkins, LLP) loads pumpkins on the conveyor for one of the local youth groups to wash.

Optimist Club members along with a local youth group washing a wagon full of gourds!

A New Holland T6050 from New Holland Rochester was used in the patch this year to help with our pumpkin project

Local youth group washing gourds on the wagon

There is a great variety of pumpkins and gourds at the stand from the patch this year

A group of kids wait paitently to load the pumpkins on the conveyor.

Local youth group washing pumpkins on the wagon. George Krom (Optimist member and local farmer) on the tractor helps grow the pumpkins and works in the patch.

The youth groups do a great job helping the Optimist Club in the patch, while at the same time earning money for their own club and having a great time!

Jim Straeter (left) and Wayne Krom (right) get pumkins for a happy young boy to load

The sign at the stand reminds us what all the hard work and effort put in by everyone that’s part of the project is for.

A great thanks to anyone who has helped with our project this year or come to the stand to purchase anything.

With the help of the Optimist Club members, youth groups who work with us to raise money for their clubs, and the people who purchase our pumpkins from our stand on 9th St. near the golf course, we are able to give back over $20,000 each year to our youth. Thanks for everyone’s help in making this year a success so far, and visit our stand for some great looking pumpkins if you haven’t yet!