Where To Pick Pumpkins In The Detroit Area This Fall

METRO DETROIT — 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 in the Detroit area. Here are a few of our favorites:

Macomb County

Big Red Orchard, 4900 32 Mile Road, Washington

Blake’s Orchard and Cider Mill, 17985 Armada Center Road, Armada

Hy’s Cider Mill, 6350 37 Mile Road, Romeo

Puma’s Pumpkin Patch, 53773 Foss Road, Macomb

Westview Orchard and Adventure Farm, 65075 Van Dyke Road, Washington Township

Monroe County

Kackleberry Farm, 6421 N. Stoney Creek Road, Monroe

Trabbic Family Pumpkin Farm, 1560 E. Sterns Road, Erie

Oakland County

Bonadeo Farms, 1215 White Lake Road, Highland

Cook’s Farm Dairy, 2950 E. Seymour Lake Road, Ortonville

Diehl’s Orchard and Cider Mill, 1479 Ranch Road, Holly

Long Family Orchard, Farm & Cider Mill, 1540 E. Commerce Road, Commerce Township

Spicer Orchards, 10411 Clyde Road, Fenton

Washtenaw County

Alber Orchard and Cider Mill, 13011 Bethel Church Road, Manchester

Coleman’s Farm, 12758 Jordan Road, Saline

Jenny’s Farm Stand and Cider Mill, 8366 Island Lake Road, Dexter

Nixon Farms, 6175 Daly Road, Dexter

Wasem Fruit Farm, 6580 Judd Road, Milan

Wells Pumpkin Farm, 3801 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor

Wiard’s Orchards & Country Fair, 5565 Merritt Road, Ypsilanti

Wayne County

Apple Charlie’s, 38035 S. Huron Road, New Boston

Bird’s Big Pumpkins, 16750 Hannan Road, Romulus

DeBuck’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, 50240 Martz Road, Belleville

Denny’s U-Pick Pumpkins, 4260 Gotfredson Road, Plymouth

The Pumpkin Factory, 48651 Harris Road, Belleville

Three Cedars Farm, 7897 Six Mile Road, Northville

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.