Where To Pick Pumpkins In Tampa This Fall

TAMPA, FL — Heading out to a patch or field to pick the best or biggest pumpkin isn’t just about finding the perfect Halloween jack-o-lantern. It’s a chance to head out with the family in a cherished fall tradition full of fun activities.

Many pumpkin patches and fields offer complementary activities like hayrides, corn mazes and games for the kids. Picking your own pumpkin also is a good way to support the local farmers who grow them.

Whether you plan to 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 Tampa. Here are a few of our favorites:

Bearss Groves

The pumpkin patch at Bearss Groves, a farmers market at 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd. in north Tampa, is open Oct. 19-20 and 26-31, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Kerby's Nursery Pumpkin Patch

The pumpkin patch at Kerby's Nursery, located at 2311 S Parsons Ave. in Seffner, officially opens on Sept. 30 From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., enjoy free mini-seminars, a pumpkin succulent workshop, tasty treats and lots of pumpkins.

Hyde Park Village Pumpkin Patch

Hyde Park Village, located at 744 S. Village Circle in Tampa, will host its annual pumpkin patch starting Oct. 7 and continuing through Oct. 28. Hyde Park Village’s pumpkin patch also directly supports The Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Hours are 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Corky's Pumpkin Patch at Keel Farms

Pick your own pumpkins at this patch in Tampa! Visitors can choose their perfect pumpkin and take it home to carve or decorate. In an artistic mood? Paint your pumpkins as soon as you pick them. Keel Farms is located at 5202 Thonotosassa Rd. in Plant City. See hours online.

Dave's Pumpkin Patch

Dave’s Christmas Tree Lot annual pumpkin patch at 106 E. Lumsden Ave. in Brandon will be open through Oct. 31. Hours are 1 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Wander through other rows of pie pumpkins, mini pumpkins, white pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, stacked hay bales, garden mums and much more.

Watermelon Swim Pumpkin Patches

Visit any of the four Watermelon Swim Pumpkin Patches through Oct. 31st to pick out the perfect pumpkin and support your community while getting in the fall spirit. Purchasing a pumpkin at Watermelon Swim helps ensure that Tampa Bay children with physical and mental disabilities learn the swimming, safety and survival skills they need to develop a love of the water. Learn more online.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

The Seminole Heights United Methodist Church Great Pumpkin Patch will take place through Oct. 30 at 6111 N. Central Ave. in Tampa. A variety of family-friendly activities are planned throughout the month including Friday night movies, pumpkin painting for kids and more. Hours vary by day. Learn more.

St. Paul Parish Pumpkin Patch

The St. Paul Parish Youth Group in Tampa will host its annual pumpkin patch Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays at the church located at 12708 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa.

Wolfe's Produce Market Pumpkin Patch

Wolfe's Produce Market Pumpkin Patch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The patch is located at 6005 U.S. Highway 301 S. in Riverview. The produce stand features pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, gourds and other fall decorations.

The Fox Squirrel Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch

The Fox Squirrel Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, located at 3002 Charlie Taylor Rd. in Plant City, is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 27. In addition to the pumpkin patch, it features a corn maze, free hay rides, a huge jump pad, seasonal flowers for sale and much more. Tickets are $12 with children 3 and under admitted for free. Click here to purchase tickets.

Raprager Farm Fall Pumpkin Festival And Haunted Farm

The 2-acre Raprager Family Farm at 16907 Boy Scout Rd. in Odessa is hosting its annual Fall Pumpkin Festival and Haunted Farm through Nov. 3. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. Activities include a pump patch, petting zoo and farm animal experience, a bounce pillow, axe throwing, hay rides and more. Tickets are $16.95 per person. Kids 2 and under are free.

Keep in mind that carving and baking pumpkins aren’t the same. The former are grown in fields to be large, more vibrant in color and relatively hollow. The watery flesh doesn’t have the same flavor as baking pumpkins, which tend to be smaller, have thicker, harder-to-carve walls and sweeter flesh. For those, you’ll probably need to head to the grocery store.

If your pumpkin is destined for a starring role on Halloween night, here are some tips for carving a perfect jack-o’-lantern. Warren Nash on YouTube also shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

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 scoop 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.