Pumpkin Patches In Or Near Manchester

MANCHESTER, NH — Signs of fall are everywhere, from cooler nights and turning leaves to pumpkin spice lattes and other products and a sea of orange pumpkins in front of the grocery store.

But maybe you want the real deal — an actual pumpkin, in your home this season. 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 Manchester.

Here are some suggestions:

• Farm & Flower Market
• Moose Hill Orchard-Mack's Apples
• Sunnycrest Farm
• Elwood Orchards
• J & F Farms
• Currier Orchards
• Deport Farm Stand
• Lavoies Farm
• Trombly Gardens
• McQuesten Farm Stand
• Charmingfare Farm

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.

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, do it on an inward angle so the lid won't drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on. Michael Natiello, creative director for The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze, suggested cutting 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 inside the pumpkin. Do a thorough cleaning and ensure nothing is left sticking to the sides.
3. Trace it: Draw your design on paper before putting it on the pumpkin. 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, remove the big pumpkin pieces 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, and then admire your work.