About Us
Heap's Rich History
Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm is more than just a place to pick pumpkins; it’s a living story that began over 150 years ago.
Abel Heap immigrated to America with his family at the age of eight and grew up on a homestead in Seward Township. On October 13, 1866, at age 25, Abel married Elizabeth Hodgson. Together they established a family homestead on the corner of US 52 and Grove Road, the very land where Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm stands today. Abel and Elizabeth raised seven children: Clara, Julia, Frank, Walter, Charles, Alfred, and J. Wilbur.
J. Wilbur eventually took over the farm, growing a variety of crops and even operating a small gas station right on the property. He married Maggie Maud O’Brien in 1906, and together they raised three children: Jesse, Milo, and Elizabeth.
Milo took over the farm in the 1930s, raising feeder cattle, hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, and hay. In 1940, Milo married Patricia Margaret Mitchell, and they welcomed one child, Gary. By the 1970s, Gary had joined Milo on the farm, continuing to raise hogs (farrow-to-finish), corn, and soybeans. Gary married Linda Kay Hibler in 1984, and they became parents to Kevin and Stacy.
Kevin showed an interest in farming from a very young age, but he added his own twist to the operation. He discovered a love for growing pumpkins. What began as a few pumpkins in the backyard soon grew into something much bigger, and in 2001, Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm was officially established. What started as a small front-yard stand quickly became a community favorite and a destination for families near and far.
Kevin graduated from Purdue University in 2009 and returned home to join Gary in farming. Today, the family continues to raise corn, soybeans, and of course pumpkins.
And now, the sixth generation is growing up right here on the farm. Kevin and his wife, Kaylee, are raising four young boys — Milo, Oliver, Archer, and Sonny — who can often be found running through the pumpkin patch, testing the playgrounds, or “helping” Dad and Grandpa in the fields. These boys are learning the value of hard work, family tradition, and what it means to grow something from seed to harvest, just like Abel did over a century ago.
Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm is truly a family effort, past, present, and future, and we are proud to welcome you to share in the story every fall.
Whether you are here for pumpkins, sunflowers, mums, hayrides, the corn maze, or simply a day on the farm, we take pride in offering an authentic farm experience. There are no carnival rides here. We are a working family farm, and we want our guests to see, experience, and enjoy a little bit of what farm life is really like.
Heap’s is a true family effort. We grow nearly everything you see here on our farm, and our family is involved in the day-to-day work. You might find Kevin walking the farm or driving a hayride, Kaylee greeting guests or keeping up with our four boys, Milo, Oliver, Archer, and Sonny. Gary is often at the grill, and Linda can be found in her craft shop.
Our four boys are the sixth generation of our family to grow up on this farm. We hope they learn the same lessons about hard work, hospitality, and community that have been part of our family and this farm for generations.
We are also fortunate to have a loyal group of employees who return each season and have become an important part of Heap’s. Each year, we hire many local kids, often giving them their first job. We enjoy watching them learn responsibility, work as a team, and gain experience that will serve them well beyond their time here.
We are grateful for the families who have made Heap’s part of their fall tradition, and we are excited to welcome those who are visiting for the first time.
From our family to yours, we look forward to seeing you at the farm this fall. Be sure to stop and say hello. We enjoy meeting the families who visit Heap’s and hearing the stories of what brings them back each year.
Sincerely,
Kevin Heap and Family
Welcome To Our Farm!
Thank you for visiting our website and for planning a trip to Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm this fall.
Many of our guests first visited us years ago, when we were just a small front-yard farmstand. Some came as children themselves and now return with their own families. Hearing those stories and seeing families come back year after year is one of the best parts of what we do. We also enjoy meeting the many new families who discover our farm each season.
P.S. If you’re looking for a haunted attraction this fall, be sure to check out the Heap’s Haunted Corn Maze page… if you dare…
