There’s something a bit suspicious about pumpkin patches, isn’t there?

[HoldMeCloserTonyDanza]

Not ones in America, those seem fine.

But ones here. It’s the way the pumpkins are all spread out. You get the feeling they’ve all been purchased at Sainsbury’s and dumped artlessly on the ground.

[BarbaraofSeville]

Aren't they just in the fields that they grow in?

Pumpkins are big and I assume need space and soil/food resources to grow well, so need to be spread out.

[BillHadersNewWife]

Well I think you're probably right. Some attractions will purchase them wholesale from farmers...and then just lay them all out.

This is what a real patch looks like.

[SuzieBishop]

My local one grows as much as they can but have to get more from another pumpkin farm further south as they constantly sell out.

[PinkOboe]

We commented on precisely this when passing our local PYO at the weekend. we walk by all the time, there sure as hell weren't pumpkin vines growing previously, now the field is covered in artfully strewn pumpkins. they've basically bought a bulk lot and chucked them about. it's a bit of a swizz isn't it? and surely it takes no more than 5 minutes to go and lift one up and take it to the counter to pay so i'm not sure where the fun element is either. we'll be going to Aldi

[damncats]

The ones I've seen people posting photos of on my Facebook feed pretty much look like they've got a fuckload of pumpkins from wholesale and just chucked them about a spare bit of field. No vines, no leaves, just some pumpkins - helpfully always near the play area.

A real pumpkin patch looks lovely, these ones just look contrived and aimed at "memory making" mugs.

[redchocolatebutton]

in the uk the plants lose their leaves end sept due to the low light levels.

so yabu (I know I know)

[Invisimamma]

The patch near us us incredibly popular, tickets to visit sell out as soon as they go on sale. But you are really paying for the whole experience. They have a big hay bale play area, kale maze, tractor rides, food vans, live performers etc. The kids absolutely love it and get filthy!

They do genuinely grow pumpkins there and have lots of non-standard ones, on the vines etc but I also think they don't grow enough for the demand they have and they must ship in extras from elsewhere. We see it as paying for a fun day out, rather than just the pumpkins.

It cost us £5 to park which we could redeem against a pumpkin, so it's not too pricey at all. Biggest pumpkins are £12 so yes much more expensive that the supermarket!

[IncognitaIgnorama]

It's the Great Pumpkin...

[CanaryBlossom]

Yep, my local pub has started one this year.

It seems they’ve rented the field opposite the pub, dumped a load of straw on the field, gone to Aldi and bought all the pumpkins, and dropped them amongst the straw for people to ‘pick’ and pay 3x the price of an Aldi pumpkin.

[TSSDNCOP]

Is that you Linus?

[P1nkHeartLovesCake]

Does it matter if people have fun and enjoy, picking the pumpkin? I take my dc to pick the pumpkins each year, they love it. The farm puts on face painting and a maze too. It’s just a bit of fun at the end of the day.

I don’t know if my local one grows them or buys in and tbh I’m not fussed either way.

[IncognitaIgnorama]

But how do you "pick" a pumpkin that's already been cut from its vine? "Pick" it up?

[IncognitaIgnorama]

Or "pick" it out, I suppose

I would expect PYO to involve a sharp knife, tbh - but then, I suppose the proliferation of patches is more for the picture potential for social media, rather than the PYO

[BezalHell]

Pumpkin is one of those words that starts to look wrong if you read it too many times!

casual observation

[Katinski]

I think they're quite menacing
Just sit there looking, well, all orange and pumpkiny, but come dusk....
No sirree, you won't get me walking through a pumpkin field at dusk...

Keep safe, peeps. Stay away at dusk. You know it makes sense.

[happycamper11]

Yes you are right, and instead of a nice dry clean supermarket they are kept on soggy straw and mud in the rain so you pay over the odds for a pumpkin you perceive as better quality but turns out to be mouldy by the 28th (learned from bitter experience)

[Gotnopokerface]

Having recently watched Stranger Things, I'm not sure I'd ever trust one 😂😂😂😂

[cometothinkofit]

Is this a thing now? Well I never. Do they have toffee apple trees as well?

[Katinski]

Ooh, a toffee apple tree..YESSS. Want one! Not one speckled with Sprinkles, tho. Just a plain and simple toffee apple tree with red,lush toffee apples on it.HEAVEN!

[vikkimoog]

these have obviously been bought and dumped

[vikkimoog]

damn

[OneTerrificMouse]

You generally can't see them until the first frost comes and kills off all the foliage.

[PeterRouseTheFleshofMankind]

It's just the latest bollocks for people to put on their Instagram. Just get one from the supermarket!

[Thesearmsofmine]

We have two farms near us that do the whole pumpkin thing. One grows them on site and the other buys them in. Both are hugely popular!

We have been going each year but this year it has just become too expensive, by the time had bought tickets to get in, a couple of overpriced pumpkins and a ride for each dc you are looking at £50!