There’s a chill in the air as Autumn has hit Birmingham in full swing. Mourning the Summer sunshine? Fear not. We’ve got plenty of seasonal treats to keep you occupied over the coming months! Spooky season has arrived, and if you’re looking to indulge in some autumnal activities, pumpkin picking is the perfect Halloween tradition for you.
The origin stories of pumpkin carving are fascinating. Samhain, the Celtic festival which shaped the modern ‘Halloween’, was originally celebrated on 1st November. On Samhain Eve, it was believed that the spirits of the dead would rise and mingle with the living. To ward off restless spirits, people carved threatening faces into root vegetables (which were abundant after the harvest).
When Irish immigrants arrived in America, they brought their traditions with them, and found that pumpkins were much better suited to carving than turnips and beets! The tradition is now embedded in Halloween festivities, and every year families take to pumpkin patches to select a ghoulish gourd to carve.
The Midlands is home to a whole host of farms and pumpkin patches, so if you’re looking to rustle up a pumpkin pie, sip on a seasonal soup, or carve a creepy creation, check out this list of the best pick-your-own-pumpkin sites near Birmingham.
Forge Mill Farm, West Bromwich
Forge Lane, WEST BROMWICH, West Midlands, B71 3SZ
Open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day, Forge Mill Farm is one of two farm visitor centres within Sandwell Valley Country Park. Located in West Bromwich, the park is less than half an hour away from the city. The farm park is visited by tens of thousands of families every year, and from the end of September through until Halloween, you can pick your own pumpkin ready to carve this spooky season.
A visit to the patch is included in the standard ticket price, which comes to £4.50 for adults and £5.50 for children (with discounts for concessions and families, and under 2’s going free). Once at the pumpkin patch, if you’d like to take a pumpkin home with you, you ‘pay for what you pick’. Book your tickets online, here.
There are some impressively large and monster homegrown pumpkins, and a range of standard sizes. With plenty of photo opportunities to amp up your autumnal Instagram feed, and some impressive views from the top of the bale tower, there is plenty to see. Once you’ve visited your favourite animals at the farm, and selected your prize pumpkin, stop in at the farmers’ pantry for a wood-fired pumpkin pizza and a hot drink.
Essington Farm, Wolverhampton
Bognop Road, Essington, Wolverhampton WV11 2AZ
A family business established in Essington in 1892, the farm has opened a butchery and deli to sell their free-range pork and Hereford beef, and a restaurant to serve their own produce. In their farm shop, it is often the case that fruit and vegetables are less than an hour old before they hit the shelves.
The farm’s commitment to fresh food is well-depicted by their Pick Your Own Pumpkins (PYO) events. With tickets at just £2.50, and free for under 3’s, bookings entitle you to a thirty-minute pumpkin-picking time slot, with tractor and trailer rides to the fields from 9 am to 4 pm.
Once at the fields, you have your pick of the bunch, with pumpkin prices ranging from £2 to £12.50 depending on the size. The farm also sells a range of pumpkin carving kits. Don’t let the drizzle put you off – the PYO fields are open come rain or shine, so remember to bring your wellies and your waterproofs. Entry is strictly ticketed, so do book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Churchfields Farm Park, Droitwich
Churchfields Farm Park, Salwarpe, Nr Droitwich, WR9 OAF
The Pumpkin Festival is in full swing at Churchfields Farm Park, opening from Saturday 7th October and running weekends until Sunday 22nd October. From 28th October to Halloween, the Pumpkin Festival will be open every day, so there’s still time to pay a visit!
During the festival, you are able to pick your own pumpkin from over 10,000 available, and wheelbarrow it to the outdoor carving barn. Carving tools are provided, so once you’ve picked out your silliest or spookiest face, you can carve away and leave all the messy bits behind, to save your kitchen table!
The all-inclusive festival includes a standard size PYO pumpkin per fully paid child (2-16), with additional pumpkins and upgrades available. You have access to the carving barn, and the Scary Fairy Trail over the troll bridge and around the woodland. You can take a trip into the Ghostly Maize Maze (don’t get lost!) and check out an interactive performance on certain dates.
There is an adventure playground, a giant zip wire, a go-kart track, pedal tractors and air bouncers, and plenty of photo opportunities, so don’t forget your fancy dress! You can also meet the animals in their paddocks, play pumpkin-themed games and from 21st October, head to Trick or Treat Street. The farm park also has a wonderful café and restaurant to stave off your hunger.
Feeling brave? The Pumpkin Festival After Dark allows you to pick pumpkins by moonlight (and torchlight), with live entertainment from the Solo Circus and a spooky trip around the Scary Fairy Trail. Bring your torch, as while the trail is dimly lit in some places, it is often completely dark!
There are also term time passes, allowing you to bring your little ones throughout the day while the big kids are still at school. Put on your wellies and book your tickets in advance, as they do tend to sell out!
Lower Drayton Farm, Stafford
Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Stafford, ST19 5RE
One of the largest pumpkin fields in the Midlands, Lower Drayton Farm has planted 150,000 pumpkins over twenty acres of land! Hop on the trailer ride to pick out your own from the pumpkin patch, or head inside and select a pumpkin of your choosing from the indoor village. They also offer a brand new indoor carving barn, giving you the chance to get creative and make as much mess as you need, without worrying about the clean up.
They offer some seriously spooky photo booths to capture some snaps with your creepy creations, and if you’re really feeling the autumnal vibes, you can also pick your own carrots, potatoes and sweetcorn to cook at home. Your pumpkins and seasonal veggies are all covered within your ticket price, as is access to the carving barn!
Pumpkin picking runs daily from Saturday 14th October through until Halloween. Book online to avoid disappointment. Tickets cost £12 (all vegetables included) for both adults and children, and kids under 2 and carers go free.
Cotswold Farm Park, Cheltenham
Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Power, Cheltenham, GL54 5FL
Open from 20th October to Halloween, Cotswold Farm Park’s pumpkin patch is the place to be. Adam Henson’s famous farm park is a little way away from Birmingham, situated in Cheltenham, but we couldn’t exclude it from this list.
Tickets include access to the Patch, the Maize Maze, carving activity and more. With a freshly baked Halloween cookie and a plump pumpkin of choice included in the price, it is worth booking online to avoid disappointment!
Adult tickets total £12.95, with tickets for children coming in at £11.95 and further reduced £10.95 tickets available for toddlers. Tickets also entitle you to exclusive discounts at The Ox Shed Restaurant and shop, allowing you to enjoy a budget-friendly day out.
If you’re just looking to visit, for a fun day out and to take some snaps, you can pick up access-only tickets, and hit up the patch and maze. There are face-painting opportunities available on this ticket too, and if you decide you simply can’t resist picking up a pumpkin, they will be available to buy for an additional charge.
Farm Park tickets also come with access only to the pumpkin patch, where the same rules as above apply! The event aims to be as accessible as possible, taking place on flat ground with cut pathways for wheelchairs, strollers and individuals with mobility challenges. The park is also dog-friendly, with canine-conscious selfie spots, so you can bring your four-legged friend along too.
The park also has a supermarket of squash, with a variety of edible and ornamental pumpkins to get you in the autumnal spirit and to inspire your culinary imagination. The coffee tent offers a whole range of hot beverages (pumpkin spiced lattes included) and homemade cakes too.
Want to spend the whole day at the park? The Wildlife Walk is a three-mile stroll around the beautiful boundaries of the working farm, allowing you to stretch your legs and take in the turn of the season. With souvenirs available from the gift shop, Cotswold Farm Park is certainly a great place to spend an entire family day out, particularly with the half-term looming!
There you have it! We hope the list above has inspired you to stick on your wellies and find your nearest pumpkin patch this autumn. We look forward to seeing all your spooky creations on the streets of Birmingham!
