Halloween is around the corner and if like us, you are ill prepared and haven’t fulfilled your parental obligations of dragging a child around a pumpkin patch yet then have no fear!
Today we went to Sunnyfields Farm on the edge of the New Forest and took part in their annual pumpkin picking festival. I say “pumpkin picking” but clearly they had already been picked and most were arranged in a field nice and clean, ready for the little ones to pick the pumpkins they want. This was fantastic however as it gave the farmer experience without the actual hard work of uprooting cleaning up etc
As well as a field, you could find slightly better quality ones in a tent with sizes small to massive and other colours including blue? I didn’t even know you could get other colour pumpkins!!
Wheelbarrows were provided to help carry your pumpkins and of course to help with the obligatory photos of wheeling around your child.
Once done, you could pay for your pumpkins and then leave or take advantage of the great stuff there.
There is a lovely little farm shop where you can buy fresh food as well as an amazing little cafe that does some great vegetarian and vegan food.
Tractor and trailer rides were available and looked like great fun. We didn’t partake as I can’t see my little girl sitting still for long enough to enjoy it.
Facepainting and a pop up cafe selling warm pumpkin soup and mulled cider certainly hit the spot on the cold day we were there for!
Most importantly there was organised pumpkin carving and for about £2.50 you could borrow all the tools and templates needed to carve your pumpkin on site. We had to have a go of course and I think our daughter really enjoyed herself.
She’s only two years old but happily was scooping outside the insides of the pumpkin with a worryingly determined zeal. She did however, need some assistance with the serrated knife. It wasn’t sharp but it takes a little strength to stab all the way through the pumpkin flesh.
The end results were a simple little carving that we can now stick a candle in for halloween presumming she doesn’t destroy the thing before then. I’ve been trying hard to stop her feeding it toy dinosaurs.
The festival is still on until 31st October and no doubt will be on again next year. So if you don’t have your mandatory carved pumpkin in the window for halloween yet go check it out!
https://www.sunnyfields.co.uk/
We will definitely be going again next year!