It happens to us all. We have this picture-perfect experience planned in our heads. You’ll wear a cute fall outfit with a cozy fall sweater; the kids will all have matching tops. Everyone will pick out pumpkins and then snap a few family photos before walking back to the barn, hand in hand with the family. You’ll finish it all off by posting your perfect outing on Instagram.
Your family trip to the pumpkin patch is going to be amazing!
Then the day arrives, and reality sets in. It’s drizzling, and now your hair is flattened to your head; your new leather boots are ruined from all the mud; the youngest is crying because they dropped their donut in the dirt; the teenager wants to sit in the car because they are cold and too old for hayrides, thank you very much. And you’re stuck trying to wrangle three 15-pound pumpkins, a gaggle of cranky kids, four massive chrysanthemums that wouldn’t even fit in your car on a good day, oh, and you just heard another family say that this place only accepts cash.
Hoo boy, is your heart rate a bit elevated, too? My nervous system is having flashbacks.
Take a nice deep breath in, hold for four, now slowly blow it out. That is not going to happen to you. You were smart and clicked on this article. You will show up to the pumpkin patch prepared and leave happy.
As a parent, I have lived the aforementioned nightmare pumpkin patch trip—more than once. Thankfully, a few years have passed, and I am wiser; my kids are now adults or teenagers and can carry their own dang pumpkins, and we are pretty good at this whole pumpkin patch-as-a-family-thing.
So, I’m sharing some of my best tips with you. Grab your favorite pumpkin spice beverage, and we’ll dive right in.
Know Before You Go – Questions to Ask Before You Are Sitting in the Parking Lot
There’s nothing worse than expecting one thing and finding another when you’ve got your whole family in tow. A little planning ahead of time will save you a headache the day of your trip. I’ve put together this list to help bring to mind things your family may encounter so that you can pack/plan accordingly. When in doubt, pick up the phone and call before you go!
Are the pumpkins pre-cut and placed throughout the ‘patch’ or will you be picking them straight off the vine? If it’s a true u-pick experience, I highly recommend you bring along at least one or two pairs of gardening gloves; pumpkin vines are prickly. You’ll also want a good pair of hand pruners (similar to my trusty Felcos; they are big and meaty). Pumpkin stems are thick and tough, and trying to wrestle a pumpkin off of the vine barehanded is not fun.
Farms are big! Do you have to walk to the pumpkin patch, or is a hay ride shuttle service available? Does the path/shuttle accommodate wagons or strollers? Is the field flat or on a hill? Do you have to cross a road to get to the pumpkin patch? Logistics matter when you have small kids and gear in tow.
How do you get your pumpkin back to the farm to pay for it? Shuttle? Do you have to carry it yourself? Do they provide carts/wheelbarrows or similar? I’m a single mom. One year my (then) six-year-old had his heart set on a massive pumpkin. That thing ended up being 28lbs. (I know because I paid by the pound.) It meant him carrying my pumpkin, his younger brother toddling along through the vines, and me trying to carry his brother’s pumpkin and that lunker a few yards at a time before I needed to set both down and catch my breath again. Finally, some lovely family came upon us and offered to put our pumpkins in their wagon. I could have cried; I was so grateful. (And sweaty.)
Cash or card/ApplePay/Venmo/Whatever? This is becoming less of a thing these days. This might be the one good thing to come out of the pandemic: everyone accepts cards these days. But if you have even the slightest doubt and you can’t find any payment information on the farm’s social media, call ahead. Likewise, how does pricing work? Are pumpkins a flat price, sold by general size or by the pound?
When are their busiest weekends? Typically, the two weekends before Halloween are usually the busiest time to hit up a pumpkin patch, so plan accordingly. If you go into the weekend expecting crowds and the need to wait in a few lines, you won’t be caught out.
What are their restroom accommodations? Most pumpkin patches are set up on a working farm, so the most you may get is a port-a-potty. If it’s some place a bit more substantial, they may have actual restrooms. If you have infants or toddlers that are still in diapers, or family members with access and mobility issues, knowing the restroom situation ahead of time can save your sanity.
Do they allow dogs if you want to bring Fido along, too?
What else is happening the day you plan to go, and what else do they offer? Do they sell cider and donuts? Will there be a food truck? Do they also sell decorative gourds, apples, Indian corn, mums, etc.? This may mean bringing the pickup truck or minivan instead of the sedan or carpooling with other family members.
The Day Of – What to Pack & What to Wear
Look, I know you look adorable in that sweater and those jeans, and you’ve been waiting all summer to break out those cute fall boots, but honey, we’re going to a farm. Farms are messy. Fields are muddy and rocky and uneven. Toddlers are sticky 23.7 hours out of the day.
I promise you, ten years from now when your kids look back on this day, they won’t remember what you wore or how your hair looked.
Dress the entire family sensibly and comfortably. And by comfortably, I mean check the forecast a few days out and on the day of. (Pro tip: make sure you’re looking at the weather for where the pumpkin patch is, not just your address. Speaking from experience here.) Dress in layers and wear pants. Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes that can handle a bit of mud and won’t leave you on your can. Hats look cute in photos and keep you toasty. You lose a ton of body heat through your head. If you really want to be smart, pack warm, clean socks for everyone to change into after the fact for the ride home.
Here’s a checklist of things you’ll want to bring:
- Garden gloves; pumpkin vines are spiny, and pumpkins are muddy
- Pruners for cutting the stem
- A wagon to carry your stuff, your pumpkins and toddlers with little legs. (Bonus points if it’s collapsible!)
- Water, staying hydrated keeps you, well, hydrated, and also not cranky.
- Easy snacks for little and big people. Toddlers and kids get hangry and have meltdowns when they have empty bellies. Adults get hangry and have meltdowns when they have empty bellies. Crackers, especially the kinds with peanut butter or cheese, trail mix, granola bars, etc.
- Sunglasses, don’t leave them in the car like I always do.
- A small fold-up mobile phone tripod so you can ALL be in the photo. (I have this one, and it’s amazing. It even comes with a remote so you don’t have to mess with the timer.)
- A package of handwipes. I love the unscented water-based ones. I always have a pack in my car because I am messy like 23.7 hours out of the day. (I might be an extremely tall toddler.)
- A thermos and/or travel mugs with enough hot apple cider for everyone. Even if they sell cider, I always bring this. We can sip it in the field, or save it for the car ride home and skip the lines.
Pumpkin Patch Practicals
On to the pumpkins!
I learned my lesson after the 28lb monster. You can get ANY pumpkin you want, so long as you are willing to (and can) carry it. This is a wise rule to adopt.
If you are cutting the pumpkin stem yourself, cut it at least 4-5” long. Longer stems help the pumpkin last longer. (Plus they look cute.)
Never carry a pumpkin by its stem. The stem is likely to snap off under the pumpkin’s weight. A stemless pumpkin will rot much faster because of the open wound left where the stem was. Carry your pumpkin like a baby.
Do your best not to trample the vines. Those pumpkins are still ripening and growing and need the vines for nutrients and water.
Before you cut the stem, check the pumpkin over for soft spots or holes from pests. Look under the pumpkin, where it’s been lying on the ground, too. If it’s been growing on its side, prop it up and see if it will sit on its bottom or roll over. Remember, flat spots are great for carving; they aren’t always a bad thing.
One Final Tip – Embrace the Rain
Don’t be afraid to embrace the rainy fall weather. If you dress for it and go knowing you’re going to get a little wet and muddy, rainy days are some of the best days to visit a pumpkin patch. There are fewer crowds to deal with, which for our neurodivergent family is a plus. And if you’re lucky enough to live in a part of the country where you can see the changing of the seasons, the pumpkins and the colorful changing leaves really pop in the rain. Plus, that thermos full of hot cider waiting in the car really hits the spot when you are done.
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