Decorah business owner Shane Pinter found the right property for his new facility

(Left to right): Pinter's Landscaping and Pumpkin Patch owner Shane Pinter and Decorah Lions President Karl Jacobsen

Pinter's Landscaping and Pumpkin Patch owner Shane Pinter says he went knocking on doors until he found suitable property for his new facility on Highway 9 West.

Pinter told members of the Decorah Lions Club that he has been in the landscaping business for 13 years after studying arborculture in college.  Three years ago his wife purchased a wedding cake business from a long time baker in the Cresco area. 

When they decided to bring together their businesses, the first challenge was to find a location for their venture.  They needed at least 40 acres on a public highway and knew that those properties are few and far between.  They broke ground early this year on their new facility, which includes display gardens and landscaping ideas, a state of the art greenhouse and a full restaurant.

Six acres of pumpkins have been planted as well as a six acre corn maze.  Hay rides will be offered in the fall.  The pumpkin patch will open the last Friday of September and will feature a haunted corn maze the last two weekends of the season.  Shane also promised the Decorah Lions his business would have a Pumpkin Blaster which reportedly can hurl a pumpkin 1,200 feet.

Pinter's employs nine landscapers on three crews and eight garden center staff.