Heart of the Flathead

11. Pumpkins, Trains, And Family Joy

• David Wigginton • Episode 11

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Sweet Pickens Pumpkin Patch didn’t start with a business plan—it started with a three-quarter-mile train, a field full of pumpkins, and a mission to help families smile again. In this episode, we sit down with Sweet Pickens founder Terry Devries to explore his winding path from Nebraska farm kid to Continental Airlines pilot, to corporate aviator for SemiTool, and finally to Kalispell community-builder. Terry shares how aviation shaped his approach to safety, systems, and patience—and how those habits now guide a hands-on farm experience designed for learning, play, and Flathead Valley’s tight 90-day growing season.

We dig into the choices behind the farm’s signature attractions: frost-resistant pumpkin varieties, alfalfa fields that double as parking, and a custom-built train laid one spike at a time. Terry also talks about stewardship, faith, and the family teamwork that keeps Sweet Pickens growing—whether maintaining track, welcoming school groups, or adding new kid-powered features like pedal carts, goats, hoops, and sandbox excavators. If you’re interested in community building, family entrepreneurship, or how to grow a local attraction with purpose and heart, this conversation offers a blueprint rooted in listening, thoughtful planning, and building spaces where parents exhale and kids light up.

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Heart of the Flathead, is produced by David Wigginton, in partnership with LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing. Listeners can find the podcast online at HeartoftheFlathead.com and LeftBrainRightBrain Marketing at lbrbm.com. The content for Heart of the Flathead podcasts and any show notes and transcripts are copyrighted by David Wigginton. All rights are reserved. Reproduction and rebroadcasting, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. Contact David Wigginton by clicking the Send Us a Text link at the top of the episode description. 

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or production team. Appearance on the show does not constitute an endorsement of any goods, services, or opinions discussed. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal, medical, or financial advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on the content of this show.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to the Heart of the Flathead, where we sit down with the change makers, the unstung heroes, and everyday folks who give this place its pulse. If you live here, love here, or just want to know what makes Calisbell and the Valley tick, you're in the right place. And now, here's your host, Dave Wiggins.

Terry’s Path From Farming To Flying

SPEAKER_02

Welcome everyone to another episode of Heart of the Flathead. I'm excited for our guest this week, Terry DeFriese. For those that don't recognize Terry's name, Terry is the owner, proprietor of Sweet Pickens Pumpkin Patch here in Calispell. And Terry, it's great to have you on Heart of the Flathead. Thanks for joining us today. It's an honor to be on. Thank you for offering this to me. Absolutely. So as a little bit of a background, I have four children and they have uh grown up going to the Sweet Pickens Pumpkin Patch here in the Flathead. Okay. And we go all the way back to when the pumpkin patch was on Columbia Falls stage. And now it's on Holt stage. Uh-huh. And we are, my kids have loved it. They've loved it, they've grown with it as you've grown and expanded it. And so this is it's a great opportunity for us to have you on here. I actually met Terry at the pumpkin patch this year and invited him to come on Heart of the Flat because I thought this is such a great thing that he's doing for our community. And it would be a great opportunity for everybody to get to know the man behind the vision that is the Sweet Pickens Pumpkin Patch. So, Terry, tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? How how did you end up opening a pumpkin patch? And give us a little insight into who you are.

SPEAKER_01

I really appreciate, like you said, the honor of being here. From originally from Nebraska, a small area south of Lincoln, where most of my relatives are. But we moved around quite a bit with my folks and different mostly in the Midwest, but we ended up I ended up graduating from high school in California and then went back to school back there in Nebraska. And and that's where I threw it. But that's where I started doing most of my work was on my uncle's farm and enjoyed doing that, but I didn't see any effort in doing pursuing that because it took too much money just to do that that uh business and it and it just wasn't for me. So I got started then then when I moved out of Nebraska, I got uh moved after his college, I moved down to Kansas City and worked for a large company, Pack Car, but you might know that. And I worked in the off-road division for for them for a few years. And at that point when I was there, I didn't like that kind of work either, and I got interested in flying. So I got all my ratings and every everything that I needed to do instruction and finished instructing pilots, learning to fly, and from there on, then I got after that, then I got with a corporation down in Kansas City and started there. And after that, I also went then to Nebraska and started flying for a small airline, and that didn't work out. And while I was working there for another company, it went on to Continental to fly for them. And I didn't do it very long. So as a commercial airline pilot, Terry?

SPEAKER_02

So as a commercial airline pilot? Yeah. Okay. Continental, okay. Which is now United, for those that don't know.

SPEAKER_01

That's correct, it is. And you'll notice the logo on the tail. But anyway, I didn't uh really like the the backstabbing that you need to go on. I gotta get to this number, I gotta get to that number. And I saw my family life was not being enhanced by that. And that's what was more important to me. And this job here in Kalisville came about oh, shortly after that, after I flew. And I uh what job was that?

SPEAKER_02

Tell me what job was that?

SPEAKER_01

That was for semi-tool. Okay, semi-tool now is okay is now is not applied material. And so I worked with them until they sold out to apply material for tax reasons, but anyway, and in the meantime, while I was doing that, I I wanted to have something for the family to do, my family. And then that included stuff that would be good for other people's families, which that's how I got really started because that means I could work in the dirt a little bit, you know, like a small garden or big garden, whatever you want to call it. And and that's why we got started doing that, because we had a little offset of what we were doing just uh income-wise, and that was that was what we wanted to do. And it it turned out real good, as you well know, because you came there, and as you see, it outgrew that small five acres. And so this other property came along, and that's where we uh ended up now, is on uh eight acres of on Holt Stage. And it's just been really a good move because more people have been coming and we have more people excited about it, meaning you saying the same thing, and and it's just been a great move for us. And and now we uh have I keep thinking of more things for the kids to do and more activities and and and I get letters from the school kids that come and say how they thank me for for just doing this, for having the goats, or for having the pedal carts, or or the basketball court, or whatever, and it's just on and on, and that's what that's why we're doing it, still for for the families here in the in the valley, and and most thing I I get more enjoyment out of hearing the kids talking to their dads or or their family, said, Dad, this is the first time I've seen you smile in a long time. And so they're just so thankful for uh for I am thankful for hearing things like that, you know. And it's just been a really helpful to me, the and encouragement, just keep moving on and and and seeing how we can help the valley, the local people, and and you know, there's not that many activities to do. I mean, yes, there is. I mean, you got all the outdoor activities, which is known for this, and which it is, but for kids, really, there's not really a whole bunch of things that that there is, and so that's that's why we're doing it.

SPEAKER_02

That's great, that's great. So I want to come back to that. I want to go back to so you were you worked for semi-tool, and so were you a pilot for semi-tool then, or were you doing something else?

SPEAKER_01

No, no, I was a pilot. That's that's why I got here for the job being a pilot. And I was one of the first ones they hired. They had a they had a chief pilot, and then then from then on they hired me, and after that, they hired oh quite a few more people. What were you what were you flying? Were you were you flying passenger planes, cargo planes?

SPEAKER_02

What were you doing?

SPEAKER_01

No, no, none of none of that. They're personal company airplanes that the company used for business, flying whether it may be engineers, salesmen, you know, whatever the job required where we were going, mostly sales, I would have to probably say. And then that also brought in people that I had to pick up from around the world uh that would come in, whether it be Japan, you know, or Germany or whatever. They come in on the airlines, and a lot of times they didn't want to take the time or or the effort to be on an airline to wait to to come into Kalisvale because as it was in the when I started, there wasn't that much airline traffic coming into Kalisville. It has changed now immensely, but that's what the whole thing was. And so that's why they use it.

SPEAKER_02

You must have met some really interesting people. I mean, traveling from all over the world.

SPEAKER_01

Uh unbelievable interesting people, yes. And and I got pictures of, of course, you know the Japanese, they love to take pictures, and so you know, whether I'd be flying with them, they go, Oh, I want to get a picture of you flying or whatever, you know, up in the air and that sort of thing. So, yes, and and I that was just a phenomenal job, it really was, and and I enjoyed flying probably the best. I've been in a lot of airplanes, but the but the Falcon made by Dasot, French airplane, is probably the best-built airplane in the world. And they and that's proven by the Mirage that they make, which is a fighter jet, and and that f falls down into the little airplanes, the corporate airplanes that they make, and on and on it goes. But it it was just a great, great job. And I enjoyed the people working with them.

SPEAKER_02

Who who were some of the more interesting people that you uh that you met?

SPEAKER_01

Well, it would probably be the people from Japan, because they were always appreciative of what you did for them. And, you know, I would go to, you know, we'd sometimes get into Germany, but you know, we would sit at sometimes at a table to eat, and and the Germans were over at another table, and they didn't like you coming there right at first, but but once you got to know them, you know, they didn't have nothing to do with the business, but once you got to know them, then they kind of ease up and they were happy to you know talk with you and stuff like that. But anyway, but that would that would have to be, like you said, the Japanese and and people that they are just uh friendly and helpful and whatever. So anyway, that's what I liked.

What motivated you to start the Pumpkin Patch

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so it's really interesting. So all around the world, Nebraska to Kansas City, yeah, around the world. Here here to Calus spell. That's uh pretty remarkable and to local pumpkin patch. So, you know, what really impressed me about you, Terry, when I when I first met you was we were talking about the pumpkin patch, and I was with my my two youngest daughters, and you had just said you were actually manning the kettle corn station there on the property, and you were you were bagging kettle corn, and you said you really just wanted to create a place where families could come and have fun and just enjoy themselves. And that kind of ties into that comment you made about the about hearing the kids say, Dad, this is the first time I've seen you smile in a long time. And exactly. Yeah, that's gotta be really rewarding. What what um you know you're you're doing this year in and year out, you're adding things all the time. I mean, you think about the train, you think about the corn beige, you think about the carousel, you think about all the different features you have there, the slide now too. Yeah, what what what keeps motivating you year in and year out to keep doing this?

Challenges of growing pumpkins

Beyond Pumpkins: Alfalfa And Winter Plans

SPEAKER_01

Well, like I get letters, well, we all you know, letters from the school kids, you know, saying how they enjoy this. And if I added the the train, they said, Oh, we love the train, now we gotta ride that every every time we come out, or or the different new events that we add. Oh, the basketball hoops. I love playing basketball. Or we even have like the uh grain band, where we have you know corn in the grain band, but we got little toys that kids can act like they're actually farming by hauling the grain around in their in their little toy or or something. And then the same thing in the sandbox where we have many hand built excavators that that you actually can dig the sand up in, you know, and then the kids get that, well, I got a construction toy, I might go into construction and and seeing something like that, you know. So it's been those things are really what's enjoyable. And and then of course the people like to see the pumpkins that you grow. Oh, how do you do this or whatever, you know, and so then you can start telling them and then how many different varieties they are and that sort of thing. But so how many different varieties of pumpkins do you grow? Oh gosh, I bet it's uh at least 15. I mean, there's a lot more, but we try to we have a problem here, not really a problem, but we have a short growing period period in this valley as well as the whole state. We only have about a 90-day growing period, so you have to find the varieties that will adhere to that. And you can push the time limit a little bit, you know, uh maybe a hundred days on the variety, but you're you're pushing it because then you run into the chance of a frost, and then you won't have that. So that's what you got to work out, and so on and so forth. And and it's just it's just time that you have to figure out what you're doing. And it's and all that is fun. And people like seeing how things, well, how do you grow, how come this grows like that, or where does it grow from, you know, and and then you can go ahead and instruct them and for what so on and so forth. So and that way the school kids get, you know, it's not just a fun time, but it's a time of of learning too. That, oh, I can do this at the sandbox, or I can, and maybe I want to grow up to do that, or or I see a train, but maybe I want to be an engineer, or maybe I want to do, you know, you name uh any number of things. And so you see the kids growing in that respect, too. So that's that's another thing that I really enjoy, also. That's great.

SPEAKER_02

So, what else do you guys farm there besides uh grow there besides pumpkins?

SPEAKER_01

Well, we got alfalfa. We have a neighbor that has the equipment to do so, and that's what we do, and that's that's why that's why we uh as part of our parking space is uh the alfalfa field, and everybody says, Well, when are you gonna do something for Christmas? I say, Well, we've been thinking about that, and we want to do that, but our first issue is we don't have a parking lot, so I got to figure out what we got to do because winter time, you can either have frozen ground and or you can have mud ground, you know, so you gotta figure out what you want to do there. So that's why we're we won't do that right away. We and then a parking lot would be a huge investment, but you know, whether it be rock or whatever and uh asphalt are more expensive yet, but we gotta figure out what and we'll just see how the time grows and and going from there. But we got more activities that we'll line up here for next year. We're not sure uh we don't want to say anything yet, but that's always well, we like to have another surprise and so on and so forth. But that's what we like doing. And it it's all uh it's all interesting, and and we'll start now pretty soon figuring out what new pumpkins we're gonna have next year, what what's sold the most, and that sort of thing. So you ready to start, you go from one season to the next by thinking of what we got to do next year, you know. So so that's all starting right now.

SPEAKER_02

And it's kind of it's just you're round a fair, then it sounds like you're just working on it constantly.

A True Family Operation

SPEAKER_01

It is. That's exactly right. Yep, exactly. So you know that's but anyway, that's how we got here is from just the Lord bringing us here and and through different steps in our life, and and that's what brought us here. And and since our our family passed away, our immediate family, well then we said, well, we're here, we're just gonna stay, and we just love it, and we love the people, and that's what we like it, and and we got new people coming in, so we hope they adhere to what this society is in here, this area, and that's what we keep hoping, so that's what we keep promoting anyway, and just just enjoy being here. That's what we want, you know.

SPEAKER_02

Right. Well, cle clearly family is important. Do you mention that you when you were at this point flying still for a semi-tool that yeah, you were looking for something for your family to do, but also something that would be beneficial for other families. So it sounds like your your family is involved with the pumpkin patch.

SPEAKER_01

Every s every single one of them. Yep, exactly right.

SPEAKER_02

So how how do they uh did you all work well together? What's what's sort of the how does that all work together for you guys?

Building The Train, One Spike At A Time

SPEAKER_01

We we do. My well, it starts, I guess, with my wife having grew up uh, you know, with working out together, being together, having the kids and enjoying where we were at and doing it. And it from the oldest on down, the oldest is more has his own business, but he helps build some of the the uh buildings that we built. And then we go to my daughter's. One, of course, is more and in directing, oh, we don't want to do this if it's my idea they don't like that I give, or we'll do something else and or think of something else way to do it, you know, whether it be uh some one of the food items or or what plant you wanted to grow, you know, what if that will that grow it or what kind of what it looks like because she's the one that sells most of the pumpkins, so she knows which ones they pick. And and then my wife is good at at bringing the calls, getting the organized when you can come, when to be the best time, you know, school groups especially. It's open to everybody every day, but when you have groups coming where or parties at one of them, she'll line that up, you know, make the appointments and that sort of thing, take take all the calls. My other daughter is uh handicapped, so she works specifically in the taking admissions for the train and and all that. And then my other youngest son, he now is doing as much as the building as as as my older son, but he'll help him with uh some of the more hard work where you need two people, and and I'll I'll pitch in with that too, whether running one of the machines, a telehandler to lift everything up. But anyway, so but he's really big on doing that, and he's the one that built the track with help, of course, from me and a couple other neighbors, or son at all, I would say, more so. And so he's the one that runs the train more than anybody because he knows exactly what he's looking for on the track where something's not not going very good, if it's getting a little weak or you know, soft in one spot, and uh, he'll go out then the next morning before we start and and get it fixed or that sort of thing. So that's what that's how everybody's kind of got involved. They got their own position that they do, and we all work together real good because we all listen to each other and and work from there. So and that's how things get built and done. So we just enjoy doing it. Yeah, we really do.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, you can tell I'm I'm above uh interacting with the different people you've got working there and helping out there. They're always so kind and and uh and friendly. So that that train is amazing. I mean, it is you know, how how many how how long is that track and and who laid the track?

The Track, The Ride, And Future Ideas

SPEAKER_01

Well, we laid the track. We had help from the guy that built the train. He he lives in Wisconsin, which everybody might doesn't really know, but outside of the university, I think it's Brainerd, but I'm not sure. But anyway, and he came out and got us started on the on the switches. But once he did that, then he told us what what to do and how you know how where to go from there and and just do it. So we did it all ourselves, including getting the bank on the on the on the curves right, and so on, so forth, you know, and and it just just things like that. So you got to measure everything out, and and it's it's one spike at a time, is what you do with one tie. And I started that one summer four years ago, cutting all the ties and drilling all the holes, and and then we laid all the track and then put all the ties on the other side of the of the bed and and then hooked it all together and and then laid more gravel on top there to get another bed on top of that bottom bed. And so it took all summer into the into the start of the season, and we got two weeks out of that first year that we ran the train. And uh, and then from then on now, we spent every year with the full train running. So it's it was a big job. And I said, How are we gonna get this done? You know, but like I said, one spike at a time. So that's what we long is the track? Track is uh three-quarters of a mile, and and it's uh it's uh it's and we wanted something like that, so we could give a nice ride, but that's what it's turned out to be, and so now we're looking at things that we want to do alongside the track, down the road, those kind of things, and and we'll we'll get things figured out, we'll see what we want to do. So so but it's three quarters, uh excuse me, three-quarters of a mile.

SPEAKER_02

That's great.

SPEAKER_01

And it's and it's been like you said, it took all summer and and into all the fall almost the fall. So so it was it was a work of effort, and like I said, I don't want to do any more railroad. So I want to do that.

A family affair

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, hard labor, definitely hard labor. So clearly, clearly, this is is a family affair. I mean, you've got your your from the uh organization with your family of of the pumpkin patch to all the families that come come and enjoy it. What what's the secret for you to keep all of your family engaged and kind of working towards this vision that you have of creating a uh a family place here in the valley? What what what what what do you do to to keep everybody moving in the same direction?

The Flathead 5 Rapid Fire

SPEAKER_01

I I don't I know really for sure, but I I would say uh they that my family wants to keep other families doing the doing something together, be be mindset. And if we can be a value to other people seeing what we do, we're hoping that is transferred on to what what they can do with their families and and grow together and learn together and and be part of society in the right way instead of what we see going on now. But but uh that's why I want the kids to see what a good life can be, at least we consider it a good life, can be for every family, and and just enjoy what's been given to us, you know, to do what's right. So that's what we want to do. And and everything is is based on Christian idea, and that's what we live by. So so that's that's that's what we like, you know. And you guys are doing a great job.

SPEAKER_02

And we we appreciate the uh just the positivity that you bring to the community with us and and an environment and atmosphere for for people to to enjoy and have just good wholesome fun together as families. I think that's definite important contribution in our community.

SPEAKER_01

So well, sometimes we wonder, but you know, when we hit when we get home every night, oh boy, is this all worth it? You know, but it is when we start seeing, like you said, the people enjoying what we do. So so it is, it is it's all worth it. It really is. So that's what we like. And and it's just good fun. Yeah, most of the time it's fun, you know how that is. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

I say there's always you got there's a price to pay, but in in the end, the end result is is fun. Right. It is understood, understood. And that's an important principle for us all to learn. So well, Terry, we're gonna we're gonna transition to the Flathead 5, which are the five questions that we ask all of our guests. And these are meant to be rapid fire, so uh just you know, quick quick responses, and and we'll get to get to know you a little bit better that way. So here in the flathead, what is your favorite uh hidden gem? Say that again, your favorite what uh your your hidden gem, a place or a spot that you just love to go and visit and it's uh a go-to for you.

SPEAKER_01

We we we get pretty well involved with with everything, but uh I would say uh favorite place would be to to go out and in uh in the area hike or whatever it may be. The park is always a big thing to be invited, you know, that invites you. So that I would say is probably a big thing. But just the outdoors, the beauty of of this area, it just it invites us to do what's right all the time, you know, to see what God has planned, what what he has here, how he's made all this. It's just it's just a fabulous place, you know, where we where you can see everything and do everything. So that I would say would be the best part of the whole area.

SPEAKER_02

All right. Now this is this is a real Montana question. I know you're from Nebraska, but Grizz or Bobcats?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I got a friend that I fly with that I like the Bobcats more than anything, and he was a bobcat fan, so that's why I've kind of gone that way. But that's exactly right. So so that's why I kind of watch when if they beat the Grizz, well then we kind of go for that, you know. But anyway, but that's what we do. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Great.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And then this is gonna kind of tie back to that first question, but uh what what what's your favorite outdoor activity in the valley?

SPEAKER_01

Well, my favorite act uh activity would be riding bike. And I haven't done that bicycle. I haven't done that for a while since my knee got really bad. But but anyway, so that's been my uh being my favorite thing. Before I got real busy doing all this, I mean I'd ride all over the valley with another friend or something like that, and and just enjoyed it, you know. It's just and just take your time and and see all the sights and do everything. And and this has been, you know, years ago when we first moved here. I mean, there wasn't near the traffic, so it wasn't near near as hard to do that with a bike, you know. But anyway, that's what's been fun. Yeah, I just enjoy that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, we're gonna go a little deeper now. What what do you wish you n what do you know today that you wish you knew when you started out?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I guess uh that is a hard one. Uh I don't I don't really know. I don't I I wish long ago when I first started this that that's what I had in mind, just to be out to have something for family. So I I would say it's probably the same thing that I'm doing today. It's just what I what I'm doing. And I had that idea I even before I moved here and and got to be here. And that that uh and it just the good job that I had enabled me to do that because I was home uh with my family at least almost every night of the week, except maybe one, you know, when I was gone a couple times out of the state uh country or you know, a few times out of the country. And so that that's that's really been uh effort, same effort I've seen since I've been here, you know. So and it's just I never seen anything that I say uh people could do together, and that's kind of stuck in the back of my mind, and that's what we've been doing.

SPEAKER_02

Got it. Okay. And then when when your story's over, when it's all said and done, what uh what do you want the the one or two sentence review on your book to be?

SPEAKER_01

Well, that the family has enjoyed what I've doing, and and they want to be part of it even after I'm I'm gone. And they want to s keep moving forward with that as as they grow. And and that's probably been the effort that I see, and I see families that I hope come to see what everything good comes from from the Lord above, and that and that's that's what we're trying to promote, you know. So if you do it right and you do his his ways, then that turns out right. So that's what we that's what we're hoping the my book will say that that's what we're promoting, you know, God's creation. And that's what it is. Because literally that's what we're doing. And we're keeping the land like it should be, being used, but not abusing the land, you know, and and and so forth. And so that's what we're trying to trying to promote. And that's what I'm hoping people see that.

SPEAKER_02

Wonderful. Well, Terry, thank you so much for for joining us today on Heart of the Flathead. We're really really appreciative of all that you do for our community and for the hard work that you put in year-round to to make Sweet Pickens Pumpkin Patch a possibility there in the fall for for all families to enjoy. So keep keep up the good work and and uh we look forward to uh seeing your your future surprises and additions to do.

SPEAKER_01

So thank you very much, and it's been enjoyable. Thank you.