At Edison Elementary School in Macomb, Illinois, fourth-grade teacher Abby Ruebush has connected her passion for agriculture, hands-on learning, and community through an innovative project: a school pumpkin patch. The project has become a source of pride for students, staff, and the greater Macomb community.

The idea for the pumpkin patch began when Dr. Sarah Potts, a former parent in Ruebush’s classroom and a corn breeder at Corteva Agriscience, suggested a community garden to engage students. Ruebush, who married into a farm family and helps her husband during harvest season, immediately embraced the idea.

“I’ve always loved agriculture,” Ruebush shares. “It’s such a big part of our economy and community. Not every student gets the chance to experience where their food comes from, so this was a way to bridge that gap.”

With leadership from Corteva Agriscience and assistance from the McDonough County Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program, the project kicked off in the spring. Ruebush’s fourth-grade class planted six varieties of pumpkin seeds in biodegradable trays, including White Shiver and Speckled Hound. Over the summer, Corteva tended the patch on Edison’s campus. By September, the project yielded over 400 pumpkins.

The pumpkins became a hands-on learning tool across multiple subjects. Third graders explored adjectives like “bumpy” and “smooth,” while fourth graders studied plant growth cycles. Some classrooms even tied pumpkins to literature, transforming them into book characters. “It was such a creative way to engage students,” Ruebush explains.

In her class, students treated their pumpkins as “pets,” naming them and writing from their pumpkins’ perspectives. Activities included persuasive letters to a fictional “Pumpkin King” and math lessons estimating weights and seed counts. “One pumpkin weighed 25 pounds and had over 470 seeds,” Ruebush recalls.

The project also united grade levels. Fourth graders started the process, but students in third through fifth grade participated in the harvest, each selecting a pumpkin to take home. Larger pumpkins were distributed for classroom activities, ensuring the entire school benefitted.

“The kids were so excited to pick their pumpkins,” Ruebush says. “For many, it was their first time in a pumpkin patch.”

Looking ahead, Ruebush and Corteva are planning new projects, such as planting sunflowers or creating a pollinator garden. “It’s another way to show students the importance of agriculture and how it connects to the environment,” she says.

For Ruebush, the pumpkin patch is more than just a garden—it’s a way to connect students to the world around them and foster community pride. “This project wouldn’t have been possible without Corteva’s vision, the Farm Bureau, and our school staff,” she emphasizes. “It’s a true collaboration that shows what we can achieve together.”