Tomac grows more than 200 varieties of pumpkins and squashes at Tomac Pumpkin Patch and has been bringing a small sample to sell at the Farmer’s Market for about four years, she said.

She was first invited because her products fit in so well with the fall theme. She said what keeps her coming back to the event is how excited people get for her pumpkins and squashes.

“There’s always somebody who’s like, ‘oh my goodness, I can eat that’ or, ‘I had that and it tasted really good’ or, ‘I want something a little different — I hate squash’ so try this one,” she said.

The pumpkins and squashes Tomac takes with her to the Farmer’s Market ranges from Warty Goblin Hybrid Pumpkins to Queensland Blues. The prices also range from 25 cents for little decoration pumpkins to $15 for the larger ones. Tomac said the prices keep everyone happy.

“The prices are reasonable across the board,” she said. “Everybody’s like, ‘oh you’re so cheap!’ But I’m not. I’m priced where they need to be.”

Tomac said she has about 200 acres of farmland in Chesaning, Mich. and said she tries to keep the growing process as natural as possible.

Heather Surface, the Farmer’s Market Manager, said it’s vendors like Tomac and other organizations who help make the Farmer’s Market and Autumn Fest special.

“Farmer’s Market is always special because we’re homegrown only,” Surface said. “Homemade, homegrown. Everything is from Michigan. The people are from Michigan and then the Autumn Fest is special because not only does it bring the community to us, we use the community to offer what we have. So the library is here, the College of Ag (Agriculture) is supposed to be here, the Community Relations Coalition is here.”

The special activities at Autumn Fest this year included face painting and free donuts and cider, Surface said.

This is the second year interdisciplinary studies in the social sciences senior Grace Carmichael worked Autumn Fest for the East Lansing Community Relations Coalition. She said the activities are fun and meant to bridge the gap between MSU students and the local residents of Lansing and East Lansing. She said she enjoys working the event.

“I love Autumn Fest,” she said. “I think it’s really fun and it’s all free, so there’s a lot of activities to be done and this brings the community together. It’s fun. Just go with a few of your friends and come hang out."

The East Lansing Farmer's Market is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays at 280 Valley Ct. in East Lansing.