MORTON, Ill. — Ackerman Farms, home of John “Pumpkin King of Central Illinois” and wife Eve Ackerman, played host to a Canadian Food Network film crew for five days in October while the crew filmed a segment centered on pumpkin-based foods.

Lead Chef Lynn Crawford of the Shaw Media production “Pitchin’ In” and her five-person film crew arrived in Morton on Oct. 16, just in time to shoot footage of the final rounds of Morton’s famous “punkin’ chuckin’” festival . That footage will be featured along with their filmed visit to Ackerman Farms, located at 27158 U.S. Highway 150 due east of Morton, in an upcoming episode of Pitchin’ In.

When the film crew arrived the following morning at the farm, known worldwide for its many exotic and domestic varieties of pumpkins, Chef Crawford was assigned a list of chores – as per the custom of the show – by John Ackerman.

“Chef Crawford asked if she could work for me for a couple of days to learn the ins and outs of the pumpkin business. In return, she prepared us a pumpkin-based feast,” Ackerman said. “She didn’t get off easy. She had to do some of the hard jobs such as lifting and loading pumpkins in the field, washing pumpkins, and scooping and spreading manure.”

Crawford and her crew travels to far-flung locations, doing what it takes to acquire the best, freshest ingredients in the world and relying on locals to show her how it’s done, according to her website profile.

”Maintaining a philosophy that food needs to be celebrated and shared with family and friends, Lynn believes that food is not something that should be kept to oneself but shared amongst many as a means of providing a sense of enjoyment,” Crawford’s bio reads, in part.

The feast prepared by Crawford for the Ackermans included pumpkin shell with lobster bisque, lobster salad with shaved “black futsu” variety pumpkin, and a ham-based main course that featured a maple pumpkin glaze. Dessert was toffee-accented pumpkin cheesecake.

“All of it was made in our kitchen,” said Ackerman. “An absolutely awesome and incredible meal – one of the best I’ve ever had.”

The Ackermans, Crawford and the crew were joined by three members of the Acme Catapult punkin’ chuckin’ team for the feast, which was held on Thursday, Oct. 20. “The whole experience was fun and educational. The crew was friendly, polite and professional,” Ackerman noted.

Ackerman said “Pitchin’ In” is being picked up by an American Food Network for distribution, but no official announcement of the acquisition or a U.S. air date for the episode (13 of Season 3) has been announced. More information about the show, including a Canadian air date for the episode (when announced), may be found at the program’s website, www.foodnetwork.ca/ontv/shows/PitchinIn/show.html?titleid=248404.