Autumn is here and what better way to celebrate the season than visiting a pumpkin patch ahead of Halloween on October 31?
Where can you pick your own pumpkin in Hertfordshire to carve that decorative Jack-o'-lantern for Halloween 2021? Here's 5 of the best pumpkin patches in Hertfordshire.
1. Church Farm Ardeley
Where: Church Farm Ardeley, Ardeley, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG2 7AH.
There will be plenty of Halloween shenanigans at Church Farm Ardeley over the October half-term, from Saturday, October 23 to Sunday, October 31.
Join the animals on the Spooky Farm with magical merriment in the after-dark Creepy Fairy Woodland for trick or treating.
There's also pumpkin picking and carving, ghoulish goat walking, and eerie egg collecting. That's surely enough to keep your little ones entertain from dawn till dusk!
You can pick your own pumpkin from the farm's patch and then carve it in the creepy carving tents. All tools are provided.
And remember to feed the pigs the pumpkin seeds and goo, they just love it! Get in quick, as it's always a popular farm activity.
How to book
A Halloween Farm pass includes access to Creepy Fairy Woodland Play, a pumpkin hunt, and the scarecrow trail.
Every visitor receives a Halloween activity pack with stickers for best fancy dress. All for only £6.50 per person.
The Spooky Farm Entry (£6.50 per person, under-2s foc) must be purchased in order to participate in the pumpkin carving and all accompanying adults must have a Spooky Farm Day Pass.
The pick your pumpkin for carving costs £4.75 and children must be supervised by an accompanying adult.
Church Farm Ardeley is a not-for-profit care farm providing training and work experience for people with learning disabilities and mental health issues.
Early booking is recommended as ticket price may increase on October 1 in line with the VAT increase.
Visit www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk for more details.
2. The Pop-Up Farm
Where: The Pop-Up Farm, AL3 8HT, near Flamstead, St Albans, Harpenden, and Luton. The entrance is off the northbound slip road roundabout at Junction 9 of the M1.
Be a farmer and harvest your own pumpkins and squashes at The Pop-Up Farm's 10-acre patch in October 2021.
Wheelbarrows will be at the ready and it’s old-fashioned fun for everyone in the great outdoors. Make sure your phone is charged for some Insta-worthy shots.
Farmers Ian and Gilly Pigott have been hosting their pumpkin festival for five years, and the family have farmed in Hertfordshire for six generations.
When is it open?
The Pop-Up Farm will be open every weekend in October and then daily from Tuesday, October 19 to Sunday, October 31.
The first day of opening will be Saturday, October 2.
Price: The pumpkins vary in price and according to size and type. Credit card payments only.
Entry is by pre-booked online tickets only. Visit www.thepopupfarm.co.uk or The Pop-Up Farm's Facebook Page @ThePopUpFarm for availability.
Entrance is by ticket only, to be purchased online in advance. Tickets for the weekend October 2-3 are now on sale.
3. Aldenham Country Park
Where: Aldenham Country Park Farm, Aldenham Country Park, Aldenham Road, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3BA.
Spook-Fest returns this year, bigger and better than ever, with pumpkin picking and carving, the Horrid Hay Tractor Ride, a spooky trail, pumpkin bingo, decorations throughout the farm and much more.
The pumpkin picking and carving activity is separately ticketed, so make sure to book to avoid disappointment.
You can play in the straw, take a selfie and pick your very own perfect pumpkin at the pumpkin patch.
Then take your pumpkin over to the carving marquee and show off your skills.
When: Spook-Fest starts on Saturday, October 16 and runs everyday until Sunday, October 31st, from 9am to 5pm. There's already limited availability around Halloween.
How to book
Tickets must be purchased to access the farm and all Halloween activities. Many activities are included in the entry fee, while some activities such as Pumpkin Picking & Carving and the Horrid Hay Tractor Ride are an additional fee.
The Pumpkin Picking & Carving costs £4.75, and Spook-Fest tickets (£7.50) must also be purchased to do this activity.
Visit www.aldenhamcountrypark.co.uk/spook-fest to book your time slot. This is your arrival time but you can spend as long as you like on the farm.
4. Willows Activity Farm
Where: Willows Activity Farm, Coursers Road, London Colney, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL4 0PF. Willows is situated 200 metres off Junction 22 of the M25.
There will be plenty of pumpkins and fresh air at Willows Activity Farm this Halloween.
Little ones can become little farmers as they pick their prized pumpkin at Willows Activity Farm’s annual Pumpkin Festival.
And with acres of pumpkin patch to explore, there’s plenty of space for visitors to enjoy picking their perfect pumpkin.
There's thousands of Willows-grown pumpkins for children to pick, as well as a Pumpkin Hunt with a prize for all those taking part.
A day out at the Willows Pumpkin Festival wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Gourds Grotto where you can get your Instagram-able photos with all sorts of weird and wonderful gourds, squashes and pumpkin scenes.
When: The Willows Pumpkin Festival takes place between October 16 and October 31, 2021.
For ticket prices, visit the Willows website www.willowsactivityfarm.com/pumpkin-festival/.
Buy your all-inclusive tickets at https://willowsactivityfarm.digitickets.co.uk/category/33555
5. Cammas Hall Farm
Where: Cammas Hall Farm, Needham Green, Hatfield Broad Oak, near Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM22 7JT.
One of the top pumpkin PYO patches to visit in Hertfordshire, according to the number of hashtags on Instagram compiled by DIYS.com, is Cammas Hall Farm.
When: Halloween fun at the fruit farm runs from October 1 to October 31, 2021.
Price and how to book
Booking is now open for Cammas Hall's spooktastic Halloween experience in the pumpkin patch.
The admission price – from £2 to £4 depending on the date – includes entrance to the pumpkin patch with a choice of more than 40 varieties of pumpkin and squash.
Pumpkins can be purchased for an additional cost (charged by weight), with the smallest pumpkins costing as little as £1.
New for this year, there's also the chance to visit the pumpkin patch in the dark with night slots available.
For further information and to make a booking visit the website www.cammashall.co.uk/halloween
Pumpkins are also for sale from the farm shop.
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