IT’s spooky season again which means the return of the pumpkin.
But whilst this Halloween staple is readily available at supermarkets for pennies, a lot of families are choosing to pick their own at pumpkin patches.
In fact, a visit to a pumpkin patch has become the ‘thing to do’ this season, with many people making a whole day out of it and taking to Instagram to share photos of their stacked wheelbarrows.
So why is it so popular? A visit to one of Dorset’s top pumpkin patches revealed all.
Cat & Fiddle Farm, found off Lyndhurst Road in , has already welcomed in hundreds of pickers this season. Parking and entry to the patch is free, so visitors simply collect a wheelbarrow on arrival and get picking.
People typically spent around half an hour strolling the two large fields, before heading to the farm shop to get their pumpkins weighed.
Many then crashed at the on-site café for a warm hot chocolate or visited one of the mobile food stalls for a pizza or churros.
Such facilities seemed to go down a hit with visitors, with one woman saying it felt like a ‘whole day out.’
Another picker, Zoe Austin, said the farm had made a ‘real effort’ to create a pumpkin picking experience.
She had visited over the weekend with her partner and two daughters. She added: “Both my daughters are autistic, and this gives them the space and freedom to come and pick the pumpkins.
“And it’s [my daughter] Beanie’s favourite time of year.
“It’s an amazing place, I think the whole atmosphere is amazing to be honest. They really make the effort here.”
- Read more: Best pumpkin patches in Dorset and the New Forest for Halloween 2022
Daniel, who works in the farm shop and helps to weigh out the pumpkins, suggested a number of reasons why the site is so popular.
He said: “It’s a family friendly activity, and it’s great because it’s free, with free parking and you only pay for what you pick.
“It’s something that can come a tradition for people, we see people bring their children, and get a new picture of them every year.”
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