Summer drought means fewer, smaller pumpkins in much of U.S.

Nothing says fall like a trip to the pumpkin patch to pick out that perfect jack-o-lantern, but in many places there will be fewer pumpkins this year. The summer's drought means pumpkin production has fallen for the second straight year, reports The Frederick News-Post in Maryland. Eight states in the Northeast and Midwest have reported problems with their pumpkin crops to the Department of Agriculture, and many expect lower than normal yields, writes Ike Wilson. So it might be wise to plan that trip to the patch (like the one at right in a News-Post photo by Doug Koontz) sooner rather than later.