It's orange as far as the eye can see at Schriemer Family Farm.

The farm near Otterburne, south of Winnipeg, has its largest ever crop of pumpkins — a half-million, in fact.

Trevor Schriemer said he was worried earlier this summer that the crop may have been a bust.

"I was significantly concerned because when we had cool temperatures at the end of July, beginning of August you know, the growth is not there," he said.

"Pumpkin is a vine crop, and it responds really well to heat. Without heat it just sort of sits there and shivers a bit."

But the weather quickly turned around and became perfect for pumpkin growing.

The only downside was that the harvesting happens in the fall, which means most of the students he employs in summer are unavailable because they're in school.

So, Schriemer and his 30 staff spent 2 ½ backbreaking weeks, working 12 hours a day, six days a week, handpicking the pumpkins and piling them up.

The pumpkins will be sold at Co-op and Sobeys grocery stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.