Growing pumpkins for a cause

Francis Nickolay of New Prague and his son Tony of Minnetonka are helping the Peace Center, the city's food shelf, in a creative way. They are selling various pumpkins that range from jumbo, the size of a laundry basket, to small, football-sized, and using the proceeds to purchase Thanksgiving turkeys for the Peace Center. The Nickolays grew the pumpkins in Francis' garden. Nickolay wasn't as surprised by their size, as the way the pumpkins took over his garden. The vines grew over everywhere, crawling over a grape bush, up into a plum tree. They have 98 pumpkins for sale and are taking orders. They will hold the pumpkins until they harvest them Saturday, Oct. 2. For more information email Tony Nickolay at tony@valuemerch.com. Read more in our Fall Home and Garden Section October 7.