MAYFIELD, Ky. — Under the autumn sun, the Darnell family loads the last of their pumpkin harvest — a mix of deep orange giants and pale sculpted gourds — onto two tractor-trailers bound for Louisville. Within days, those same pumpkins glow beneath the city’s trees, transformed into intricate works of art for one of Kentucky’s most popular fall attractions.
For Nick and Sarah Darnell, who run their family farm just outside of Mayfield, it’s more than business. Their pumpkins help bring Louisville’s Jack O’Lantern Spectacular to life, a connection that showcases the link between small-town farming and big-city celebration.
The Louisville partnership began years ago and has since grown into a point of pride. This year, the Darnells took their daughters to see the display in person to watch how artists carve their pumpkins into massive glowing sculptures…