Pumpkin picking yay or nay?

[Voodooplum101]

I’m generally a make the most of it kind of person when it comes to days out.

I’ve always avoided pumpkin picking as I know you’re just going to end up paying through the nose for a pumpkin, but ds wanted to go this year so we went for it.

Aibu to think pumpkin picking is one of the most mediocre experiences you can do.

We went to a farm place, so paid entrance for that, there were a few animals to see and feed so they part was pleasant. Then there was a field where the pumpkins were all dumped 🤣 they weren’t grown there, there were some hay bales so was able to get a few nice photos of ds. The actual pumpkins were no bigger or better than you can buy from the supermarket.

It felt a bit ridiculous choosing our very expensive pumpkin from the field where it had been dumped.

Ds enjoyed seeing the animals and he enjoyed pushing the wheelbarrow round.

Perhaps there are nicer places we could have gone, there were so many places doing these pumpkin patches we just went with somewhere local.

Aibu to have found it very mediocre and quite a strange experience?

It was certainly a relatively expensive way to buy pumpkins, but the place we have taken the Gdcs to a couple of times did definitely grow them - it was obvious as you walked around the field.

This was in the SE though, warmer and drier than a good many areas.

I can’t remember what we had to pay for entrance, but there was a lot of Halloween-y stuff/activities thrown in.

We only go the ones where the pumpkins are grown there. Big ones are usually cut from the vine already but the little ones you sometimes have to cut off yourself. Aldi pumpkins dumped in field doesn't do it for me.

The patch we go to is free entry, they make money by selling the pumpkins (£3 each) and hot chocolate. There’s also a tractor ride around the patch for a few quid. It’s very popular!

Our local one is similar to this, altho seems rather less extortionate compared to yours op! No fire jugglers but there is a super cute barrel train ride. Live music is very good and generally country music vibes. 5yo LOVES it, one of his favourite days of the year weirdo and I don’t buy a pumpkin, just have the free one included int he ticket price (a pumpkin suitable for mice perhaps!). We grow our own, the sense of satisfaction is off the charts this year as they’re HUGE and I’ve made a couple of gorgeous pumpkin pies so far! All in all, it’s a fun day out, albeit a bit dear. Much like anywhere else these days.

We havent bothered the last couple of years, we grow our own pumpkins anyway (although it would be cheaper to buy them in the shops 🤣)

It's really depressing to hear how people think it's amazing to grow a pumpkin. They are very simple to grow, like weeds really, as are herbs, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries....I feel so sorry for little ones these days, growing up so detached from nature.

I think social media has conditioned some people to think everything has to be an instagrammable ‘experience’.
i took mine pumpkin picking to Sainsburys, cost about a tenner and they drew designs on them, cut them out and went trick or treating.
Nothing expensive but enjoyable regardless.
my dc are 14, 20 and 22, not sure these big patches were around 10 years ago, there are farms nearby that have always had a little stall to pick pumpkins but not a big hoopla.
I don’t really like the entire wheelbarrows of pumpkins I see online, it just looks absolutely wasteful and just for creating a display for likes on SM. Tacky.
So no, not for me personally!

The one local to me is free entry and they actually grow the pumpkins, they put up decorations and have free tractor rides and a hot chocolate stand. Pumpkins start at £3 each, about the size of a medium from a supermarket. Its great fun, so i would say yes. Manufactured ones are a big no from me.

I grew some on my allotment and they were bloody massive.
I actually forgot about them…

YANBU. I refuse to do it, also refuse to do Santas grottos when we can see him at Christmas fairs for a few quid.

Parents are suckers, it’s just such a waste of money!!

We just to a very local garden center. Cost £1 each to get in and out pumpkins were £3 each so less than £15 for the whole thing :)

£30 is wild... we are going to one on halloween and it was £6pp entry and there are tractor rides, magic shows, circus shows, face painting ETC and they grow over 18 acres of their own pumpkins!
I think it depends where you go, but I'm not surprised you weren't happy with that price and experience!

Yes, it’s far better to find absolutely no joy in the simple things at all.

I mean what I’m saying is you can grow them easily???

so a farmer just shipping some in from Sainsbury’s is a big scam in my opinion

We went a couple of weeks ago and it was lovely. £6 per car entry and we’re spent £13 on a large orange pumpkin and a smaller white one. There were rows and rows to walk up and down, so many pumpkins to choose from. We were given a scavenger hunt sheet and stickers to count off when we saw certain things (black cat, bat etc). Then we spent ages in a maize maze which was lots of fun and at the end of of was a petting farm. The farm shop sold home made ice cream and hot drinks, it was a lovely day so we sat outside and enjoyed those. All along the way were spots for photo opportunities and we got some great pictures. Had a lovely time and will go back again next year for sure!

Our is free to enter.
Basic hot drinks for a quid, has a corn maze and the wheel barrows for messing around in when out of sight. They also have loads of unusual varieties which fascinated me for a good half hour. I probably would pay a few pounds to enter so they’re probably missing a trick.

I like going with the kids and dont care about the price. Its just a little tradition to go.

Considering mumset like to make out they are all high earners or always talking about class, I"m always suprised at how tight they are when it comes to activities and holidays. Not saying you are ine of those people, but plenty of people on this post are. None of it quote adds up.

It’s not about being tight with money - the kids were asking why there were pumpkins in the mud and it was obvious they weren’t grown there because there were no stalls.

stalks

Our local farm grows them but they are cut and placed in two fields as you can still see the old plants. Its £8.50 for adults. Games, displays, display that takes 30-40 to walk around. We had a lot of fun. But food and pumpkins was expensive.

We had a surprisingly lovely time pumpkin picking. My kids are 13/10 so outgrowing lots of things but still love Halloween. We went to a farm that has a walk round a little loch with loads of skeletons and ghosts set up in funny little scenes. Got a few gigantic pumpkins and some tiny ones. More expensive than the Sainsbury’s ones but way bigger - my daughter has grand plans for carving hers tomorrow. For us it’s one of the last childhood traditions they still want to do and the farm we go to puts in a lot of effort to make it nice. It’s on the coast and the views are gorgeous so it’s quite nice.

edited to add - it’s £16/car so £4pp for us. Could have shoved a few more kids in the car and had a bargain morning out actually

The one nearest us is similarly priced for entry, but we were there for about 4 hours as the weather was nice when we went and they have lots to do! Go carts, zip line, crazy golf, inflatable slide, maze, magician etc. They do grow the pumpkins there, they also sell lots of different squashes we don't routinely see in the supermarket. So I suspect it massively depends on which one you go to!

Pumpkins are not a particularly profitable wholesale field crop for farmers to grow and sell to supermarkets. It's highly seasonal, water intensive, and takes up a lot of space.

Pumpkin picking is highly profitable diversification for lots of farmers.

The pumpkin harvest this year has been disappointing due to severe lack of rainfall. Growing pumpkin patches with the intention of running these attractions is a gamble. I'd also like you to imagine for a moment the state of the field after thousands of people tramping through it hunting for a pumpkin.

This is why lots of PYO pumpkin patches aren't actually pumpkin patches - it's not often feasible. If you want to actually pick a pumpkin from a vine, the best bet is to grow your own.

Before you go, buy your pumpkins from the supermarket and put them in your boot.

Pay the entrance at the pumpkin farm, have fun, pick a few pumpkins, put them in a cart and dump them before the till.

Nobody noticed that we didn't actually buy any at the farm. And grandkids happily helped to carry the supermarket pumpkins in from the boot when we got home.

I’m going to buy a load and put them in the garden!