Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"Pumpkin picking" WTF

388 replies

HauntedGusset · 29/10/2023 17:21

Driving home from a visit to family today there was an absolutely massive traffic jam caused by cars entering/leaving a farm shop that also has a small events centre attached. I last passed the farm shop a few weeks ago and they had some other event on with cars parked all over the field nearest the road. Anyway today the same field was covered in huge pumpkins with families trudging round in the mud "picking" them - but they didn't grow there, they can't have done as the same field was a car park last month Confused They've just been plonked there. Someone tell me why this is a thing?

(And no, I don't have small DC anymore so I suppose I've missed this becoming popular, I was vaguely aware people pick pumpkins but imagined it to be like picking strawberries where you actually pick them fresh from the plant, not like a crapper muddier version of just buying one from Lidl!)

OP posts:
RogersOrganismicProcess · 29/10/2023 18:15

We went and had a lovely time. The kids (7-18) had a laugh getting muddy, pushing the wheelbarrows, and helping each other to find their pumpkins. At this farm many of the pumpkins were still attached to a vine (we have the prickled hands to prove it). It was lovely seeing the huge array of colours, shapes and sizes. It was even lovelier seeing the pumpkins that little animals had made into a home.

They had farm animals to see, warm homemade refreshments, tractor rides and a maze that kept us busy for ages. By the time we got home we had built up quite an appetite, running around in the fresh air.

All in all it was way cheaper that a usual day out for 6, and we supported a local farmer to boot. Yes we took some photos, but we don’t post on SM so they are just for our own memories sakes.

NerrSnerr · 29/10/2023 18:15

LegendsBeyond · 29/10/2023 18:13

It’s really naff just picking a pumpkin that’s been plonked in a field. All for the photos & likes sadly.

Shockingly some children actually ask to 'pick' the pumpkins. Mine do. Why not? Who is it harming?

YourDiscoNeedsYou · 29/10/2023 18:16

I went and got out pumpkin from our local farm shop. It seems you could either buy one from the shop shelf, or pay quadruple for ones that they scattered around a massive field that you have to go and fetch yourself. Fair play to the farmers for diversifying in this way - they’ve been f*ed over by brexit and climate change.

MercyChant66 · 29/10/2023 18:16

We go to pumpkin fields in Kent where you really do pick your own - I struggled to pull the pumpkin that my daughter wanted from its stalk! Took some colourful photos to send to family up north where pumpkins don't grow - just a nice thing to do in the October holidays. I love Hallowe'en as I'm Scottish and it's an ancient Celtic festival - I don't think about the American aspect at all.

APurpleSquirrel · 29/10/2023 18:17

We've been going to various local pumpkin patches for the past 4-5 years. All of them are farms who grow them on the farm & usually you puck in the field they've been grown in - you can see the remains of the vines & unripe pumpkins.
It's a fun, outdoor activity that the kids love as they get to pick their own pumpkin, & it puts the money directly into local farming businesses who are really struggling.
Plus many of them will put on extra activities, shows, refreshments etc which makes it more of an experience.

Sweetpeasaremadeforbees · 29/10/2023 18:19

We went and had a lovely time. The kids (7-18) had a laugh getting muddy, pushing the wheelbarrows, and helping each other to find their pumpkins. At this farm many of the pumpkins were still attached to a vine (we have the prickled hands to prove it). It was lovely seeing the huge array of colours, shapes and sizes. It was even lovelier seeing the pumpkins that little animals had made into a home.

They had farm animals to see, warm homemade refreshments, tractor rides and a maze that kept us busy for ages. By the time we got home we had built up quite an appetite, running around in the fresh air.

All in all it was way cheaper that a usual day out for 6, and we supported a local farmer to boot. Yes we took some photos, but we don’t post on SM so they are just for our own memories sakes.

See that sounds fine to me. It's just the random scattering of pumpkins in a muddy field that sounds mad (to me).

Bertiesmum3 · 29/10/2023 18:20

One farm where I live has done it for years and after day 3 they have ran out of pumpkins 🎃, this year many more have appeared, and yes pumpkins 🎃 are grown where the pumpkin patch is!
first time this year I’ve ever been and it was great, went with the grandchildren and I came home muddier than them 🤣 had wheelbarrow races and pumpkins ranged from £2-£5 which was a good price

Jellykat · 29/10/2023 18:20

Hilarious, i didnt know this was a thing these days! ( my DCs are 35 and 25 )

Can kids these days not just go for a walk and a bit of fresh air with their parents, or does there always have to be some materialistic reason?

Wheredidyougonow · 29/10/2023 18:21

It cost us about 100 for 2 adults, 1 child and baby. It's just a fun day out. We enjoyed it too.

funinthesun19 · 29/10/2023 18:21

NerrSnerr · 29/10/2023 18:14

Why does it matter if some people want that perfect photo? I love to see happy family pictures online, most other people's are more polished than anything I take so I like to see them.

If it's annoying or insulting or whatever to see people show pictures of these things on social media then stay off social media because that's the nature of the beast (or unfollow those who post these things you don't like).

It helps support local businesses, it's a relatively cheap couple of hours out and an hour stomping in the mud is something to do.

On our Halloween trail tomorrow I'm going to try and take the most instagram perfect family picture and post it on all my social media pages just in case any of you are my friends

I didn’t say there was anything wrong with getting the perfect photo. I’m just saying that’s why people do it 😂. I’m one of them. My kids didn’t particularly enjoy pumpkin picking and were bored pretty quickly, but I’m glad I got my family photo for the wall.

Not calling people at all. It’s just that I know why people do it and photos are one of the biggest reasons. At least I own it. 😄

Plankingplanks · 29/10/2023 18:22

Overthebow · 29/10/2023 18:03

It’s really not, maybe for some people but not for a lot of us. My DC loves it, she gets to run around in a field and pick her own pumpkin. It’s cheap entertainment for a few pounds and then you get to carve the pumpkin at home too. If you don’t like it then don’t go to one but don’t assume everything is about photos!

Edited
Show quote history

And you haven't posted a single picture? Not sure I believe that!! 🤣

Pinkflamingopants · 29/10/2023 18:22

Yes it’s been a thing for years. We went 3 years ago, but I can’t justify spending £30 on some pumpkins when I can get the same amount in Morrisons for £5

sunnyseed · 29/10/2023 18:22

It’s harmless fun for families with small children so why not? Should this be banned as well as fireworks, Christmas etc? Is no one all allowed any fun at all?

AutumnLeaves333 · 29/10/2023 18:23

We went for the first time this year and yes, I did expect to be picking pumpkins from a pumpkin vine and was very disappointment to find them just rolling around on the ground 🤣 they were also extortionately priced!

The kids had a great time though so it was worth the price, we’ll probably go again next year; it’s nice to support our local farm as they diversify!

MoonlightMuse · 29/10/2023 18:24

We do it because it supports local farms and DC enjoys it. I don’t have social media so the photos are just for us.

DyslexicPoster · 29/10/2023 18:25

LegendsBeyond · 29/10/2023 18:13

It’s really naff just picking a pumpkin that’s been plonked in a field. All for the photos & likes sadly.

What if its purely for the child to enjoy? Like Christmas? I might post a picture or two on Christmas on my family FB but honestly it's just to give my child a good childhood. We had fuck all growing up. Piss poor, no holidays, very rare days out. Was my childhood better for it? Like fuck it was. Pumpkin picking was £3.50 in a local working farm. Imagine the outrage if I said why go to local farm ( Hobbs) when I had Lidl (Shein). Miserable fuckers

sunnyseed · 29/10/2023 18:29

LegendsBeyond · 29/10/2023 18:13

It’s really naff just picking a pumpkin that’s been plonked in a field. All for the photos & likes sadly.

Classic example of inverse snobbery

stayflufft · 29/10/2023 18:30

Went to one today - free entry and the pumpkins were grown in the field.

Whiterose23 · 29/10/2023 18:30

We go every year and have a lovely time although we do go to a place where you can pick from the vine.
My girls love walking around the field and finding the perfect pumpkin to take home to carve and then make pumpkin soup.
We went yesterday to one where the main business is a gin distillery, we had a lovely walk around the field followed by gin tasting. The pumpkins cost us £8 the bottle of gin £40 😂

Ratfinkstinkypink · 29/10/2023 18:31

The one we went to must've imported the vines too as the pumpkins in the field were still on theirs. I went because my little one takes great delight in being bumped over rough surfaces in his buggy, he might not be able to walk, talk or even see but it doesn't mean he doesn't like a stomp through a muddy field just like lots of other preschoolers. It cost me £3 for a reasonable sized white pumpkin, there was no admission fee and we had great fun.

ColleenDonaghy · 29/10/2023 18:33

God forbid people have a nice day out.

We go to our local open farm. All the usual farm visit stuff plus the kids enjoy picking the pumpkins with the wheelbarrow, they do the carving and we all get hot chocolate and marshmallows.

There's enough days lost to the daily grind, it's nice to do something different.

And no social media here, although I do like having some nice photos to look back at myself.

jc12689 · 29/10/2023 18:33

Jellykat · 29/10/2023 18:20

Hilarious, i didnt know this was a thing these days! ( my DCs are 35 and 25 )

Can kids these days not just go for a walk and a bit of fresh air with their parents, or does there always have to be some materialistic reason?

You you can can enjoy a walk AND do this sort of thing too. They're not mutually exclusive.

Why do people have to be so judgemental about what others choose to do?

MadKittenWoman · 29/10/2023 18:34

GoodOldEmmaNess · 29/10/2023 17:39

Seriously? They aren't actually grown there? Bloody hell, there is a pumpkin picking farm diversification business activity just round the corner from me and I had absolutely assumed they were grown there. If this is not the case I feel like flipping giving up on the human race. What a completley barren, stupid, nihilstic thing to do, paddling about in the mud pretending to be harvesting when you are actually just buying stuff from outdoor supermarket aisles. Please, aliens, invade and destoy us. We have had our time.

This!

WhatHaveIDoneNo3 · 29/10/2023 18:36

I’d do that do that for a tenner too….. the one near us would set us back £42 for a family of 4 for entry and a pumpkin each🙈

UdderlyPumpkin · 29/10/2023 18:36

I had a brilliant time pumpkin picking. It’s miserable this time of year, anything that gets me out of the house and outdoors is fantastic by me.