Bring Leftover Pumpkins To These Ocean County Farms

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — Got leftover pumpkins rotting on your front porch? There are some local farms who would love to have them.

Instead of letting them rot and throwing them away, local farms want to use your pumpkins to feed their livestock.

Not only do the animals enjoy eating these squashes, they are a healthy treat, and the seeds act as a natural de-wormer.

Donated pumpkins should be unpainted, uncarved and not moldy.

"We are accepting any and all pumpkins, gourds, squash, really any veggies to feed our animals," Charlotte Farms Animal Sanctuary said. These can be brought to a donations box right outside of their gate, at 182 Mill Creek Road, Bayville.

Also in Bayville, Runaway Farm (Hickory Lane) and Pink Pines Farm & Rescue (437 Veterans Blvd.) want pumpkins. Both have bins at the end of their driveways.

"Every pumpkin means happy snouts, wagging tails, and lots of squeals of joy," said Runaway Farm.

Bamber Village Farm (2326 Lacey Road, Forked River) and Nilsson's Chicken Farm, both in Lacey, are also accepting pumpkins.

Waretown's Out of Sight Alpacas (416 Wells Mills Road) says that all of their animals, from alpacas to pigs to chickens and more, enjoy pumpkins. They can be placed in their bin on the driveway.