Follow the farm
Pumpkin Field Picking 2023
Pumpkin Picking directly from our fields has finished for 2023.
This finishes in mid-October due to the risk of groundfrost damage.
Pumpkin Market
Open October 17th onwards...
From 17th October, customers visiting the Farm or the Pumpkin Festival can buy a pre-harvested pumpkin here while stocks last!
Open daily 10am - 5pm.
Scroll down for more info and to book or click here
Sausage Fest 2023
Sat 30th Sep /Sun 1st Oct
Sat 7th Oct/ 8th Oct
Sat 14th Oct / Sun 15th Oct
Vouchers £4.50
During our Pumpkin Picking weekends you can book for Sausage Fest, our fun Pop up in the Avant Garden. Vouchers are booked in advance and can be 'spent' at Sausage Fest.
Entry is by booking only and as spaces are limited, we strongly recommend booking in advance to guarantee entry.
We'll be serving grilled sausages with all the trimmings, vegetarian alternatives are available, sorry we aren't able to offer vegan options yet.
The Avant Bar is open serving a range of spirits, beer, soft drinks and home made real fruit slushies (free from additives or glycerol)
Garden Games.
Booking for Pumpkin Picking
£4.50 pumpkin voucher + bf.
*One voucher is required for everyone over the age of 1. Please book an infant ticket for those under 1.
The value of your voucher is taken off the cost of your pumpkins at the exit till. No change or refund is given should the value of your pumpkins be less than the value of your booking.
Bookings are for a timed entry, please arrive at the time shown on your booking.
Parking, we have plenty of free parking for customers with a booking. Please use our field car park rather than the Garden Centre cark park as the Garden Centre is an entirely separate business with different parking restrictions.
Wheelbarrows. We have a limited amount available, please feel free to bring your own trolley or cart to save waiting for a wheelbarrow. Don't forget, bags to carry your pumpkins back to the car are essential. We don't provide carrier bags
Buggies aren't allowed into our fields, they can be safely left at the entry kiosk.
Dogs aren't allowed into our picking fields for hygiene reasons.
Rain. Please remember you're booking to pick pumpkins from a working farm in October. There's a reasonable chance of rain at some point. We can't refund or reschedule your booking if it rains!
No Food & Drink Please don't bring your own food or picnics onto the farm. We've tried our best to be accomodating in the past but end up being overwhelmed with litter.
Pumpkin Picking FAQ's
For information on our Pumpkin crop including tips on how to care for your Pumpkin, please visit our Pumpkin Crop Page
When should I visit?
As early as possible! Typically most people like to visit the Farm in late October to enjoy the half term Pumpkin Festival. However, for those only wishing to purchase Pumpkins, we recommend visiting earlier in October when the farm is quieter and there is a wider selection.
Will my Pumpkin last if I buy it early?
Yes! Pumpkins last a very long time. Traditionally Pumpkins and Squashes were stored for many months over winter as a valuable food supply. Your pumpkin will easily last until you are ready to carve it if you leave it untouched in a cool dark place.
Do I need to book just for Pumpkin Picking?
Yes, booking is essential, there are only a limited number of spaces available.
Can I just turn up and pay on the door?
No. Booking is essential to avoid disappointment. There may be a small amount of 'no shows' and cancellations available each day, but please don't count on this.
Are there toilets available?
There are no toilet facilities available for PYO customers simply visiting our fields to pick pumpkins. There are event toilets available to Sausage Fest customers.
Is there parking available?
Yes, there is plenty of parking available on The Farm for customers visiting Farm customers must use The Farm field car park rather than the Garden Centre car park which is a separate business.
Click here for directions and travel information.
Can I bring a buggy?
No, sadly because of damage to our irrigation systems and a minority of customers using buggies to steal crops we no longer allow buggies into our picking fields.
Can I bring a picnic?
No, Food and drink may not be bought to The Farm. We've tried our best to accommodate this in the past, but sadly have been overwhelmed with litter. Food and drink are available to purchase in Crockford's Corner.
Can I bring my dog?
No, dogs are not allowed into our picking fields for hygiene reasons.
Can I carve my Pumpkin?
No, there are no carving facilities during our Pumpkin Picking, this is only at the Pumpkin Festival.
What if it rains?
Inclement weather is part and parcel of life on the farm, particularly in the last week of October. We don't close when it rains and suggest customers consider this before booking tickets for an outdoor event.
Tickets are non refundable whatever the weather and we're unable to re-book your tickets should it rain on the day of your visit.
In our experience there's no such thing as poor weather, simply poor preparation. Over the years, thousands of customers who've come prepared and suitably dressed enjoy our events, whatever the weather!
Met Office weather warnings
Regardless of Weather Warnings (which are often precautionary), we will take a decision on whether it is safe to open based on actual conditions.
In the unlikely event we're forced to close the fields due to extreme weather this will be publicised on Social Media and via email to ticket holders.
Customers should check with us directly before assuming we're closed. Tickets will only be re-booked or refunded in the unlikely event we close.
Growing methods
All of our pumpkins are outdoor grown without the use of polytunnels and exposed to the warm summer sunshine. This means that as well as being fun to carve, our pumpkins also have a great colour and fantastic flavour. They are a very different product to the cheaper, intensively grown pumpkins commonly found in supermarkets.
All of our Pumpkins are graded and harvested by hand. This is a back breaking labour of love, but it's worth it! The end result is a better quality pumpkin with a nice long handle that has not been damaged or scarred by machine harvesting. You really can tell the difference!
Caring for your pumpkin
Pumpkins will last for months if you store them correctly and don't cut into them.Many customers prefer to vist early in October when we have the widest selection available.
- Don't carry Pumpkins by the stalk! As we don't have to pack our pumpkins into shipping containers we're able to leave them with lovely long handles but these can be fragile so it's best not to hold pumpkins by their stalk.
- Store your pumpkins out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry environment until you're ready to carve it. Traditionally gourds and squashes were safely stored this way to provide a source of food throughout the Winter months.
- Once your pumpkin is cut open it will begin to oxidise and spoil quite quickly. We recommend you leave carving your pumpkin as late as possible. Should you need to carve your pumpkin in advance, storing it in a fridge will help to slow down the spoilage.
- Spraying the cut surfaces of pumpkins with a mild bleach solution can help preserve the pumpkin.
Pumpkin facts
Pumpkins (curcubita)
Pumpkins are a member of the Squash family that were first cultivated in the Americas before being bought to England by returning explorers.
We grow a wide varieties of Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes from tiny munchkins to massive 'Atlantic Giants' we also grow a variety of different sizes of white 'Ghost' pumpkins.
The tradition of carving faces into pumpkins was thought to have originated in Ireland where faces were traditionally carved into turnips as part of the Gaelic festival of Samhain.
Like many other crops, Pumpkins originate from Central America.
Pumpkins can grow to massive sizes and in some parts of the world Pumpkin growing is a competitive sport. In 2021 a world record was set in Italy with a pumpkin weighing 1226 kg crowned as the worlds heaviest Pumpkin. The winners of these competitions can sell their pumpkins seeds for thousands of pounds to growers and enthusiasts.
Pumpkin Pie Recipe
1 750g pumpkin, peeled,
de-seeded and cut into chunks.
350g sweet shortcrust pastry. plain flour, for dusting.
140g caster sugar.
½ tsp salt.
½ tsp fresh nutmeg, grated.
1 tsp cinnamon.
2 eggs, beaten. 25g butter,
melted. 175ml milk.
1 tbsp icing sugar.
Method
- Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 mins or until tender. Drain pumpkin and let it cool.
- Heat oven to 180C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans and blind bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, and cook for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden and biscuity. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly
- Increase oven to 220C. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine. Pour into the tart shell and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set.
- Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the icing sugar and dust over the pie. Serve chilled