Pumpkin Patch Season Heating Up In Windsor

WINDSOR, CT — It's October and that means pumpkin patch season is in full swing in Windsor.

Whether you’re planning to bake a pie, carve a jack-o’-lantern or just add some festive flair to your stoop, there are plenty of places to pick up a pumpkin near Windsor.

Below are some of the traditional top pumpkin places in north central Connecticut:

• Strong Family Farm, 274 West St., Vernon
• Johnny Appleseed's Stand, 244 Hartford Turnpike, Tolland/Vernon line
• Johnny Appleseed's Farm, 13 Schoolhouse Rd., Ellington
• Foster Family Farm, 90 Foster St., South Windsor
• Botticello Farms, 209 Hillstown Rd., Manchester
• Sonny's Place, 349 Main St., Somers
• Johnny's Roadside Market Garden, 336 North Maple St., Enfield
• Connecticut Trolley Museum, 58 North Rd., East Windsor
• Brown's Harvest, 1911 Poquonock Ave., Windsor
• Appleberry Farm, 749 North Stone St., West Suffield
• Belltown Orchards, 483 Matson Hill Rd, South Glastonbury

(If you have another favorite pumpkin patch in mind, be sure to share it with readers in the comments section.)

And if your pumpkin is destined for a starring role on Halloween night, here's our guide to carving a perfect jack-o’-lantern. Warren Nash on YouTube also shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

Materials

Pumpkin carving kits will go a long way in getting what you need. They typically include saws, a scooper, a drill and multiple patterns.

If you're looking for the items individually around the house, here's what you could use:

• Pumpkin. Unless you have a pumpkin-growing operation in the backyard, you'll need to pick out one you like from your local pumpkin patch or a store. Make sure it looks sturdy and clean. Remember, this is the pumpkin that will be front and center on the porch for the Halloween season.
• Curved boning knife, or serrated knife from the kitchen.
• Ice cream scooper or scraper
• Paper
• Pencil or pen
• Candle or battery-operated light
• Lighter

Steps

1. Cut it: If cutting from the top of the pumpkin, make sure to do it on an inward angle so the top won't drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on. Michael Natiello, creative director for The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze, said it's better to cut the pumpkin from the bottom, in a series of pumpkin carving tips from Good Housekeeping. That helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
2. Gut it: Use the ice cream scoop, or your hands, to remove all the seeds and other debris from inside the pumpkin. Do a thorough cleaning and make sure nothing is left sticking to the sides.
3. Trace it: Draw your design on a piece of paper before putting it on the pumpkin itself. That way, it is easier to trace the design onto the pumpkin.
4. Make the cuts: Cut out the design. Natiello said to use a fork or pencil to poke holes around the lines. When cutting, get the big pieces of pumpkin out first and clean up the edges later.
5. Light it: Light the pumpkin with a battery-operated light or candle in a holder, place it in the pumpkin, then admire your work.