Where To Pick Pumpkins In Middlesex This Fall

MIDDLESEX, NJ — 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 Middlesex. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Battleview Orchards - pumpkin patch, and hayrides, and apple cider donuts (wknds only) 91 Wemrock Rd Freehold, NJ 07728
• Snyder’s Farm - Corn maze, duck racing, hello donuts, hay ride and pumpkin patch 586 S Middlebush Rd Somerset, NJ 08873 (732) 496-0441
• Hacklebarney Farm Cider Mill - has real apple cider doughnuts 104 State Park Rd Chester, NJ 07930 (right outside the main entrance of Hacklebarney State Park) (908) 879-6593 njcidermill.com
• Red Wagon Farm - fresh produce market, corn maze, hay ride, pony rides and petting zoo. 437 New Jersey 33 Manalapan Township, NJ 07726
• Happy Day Farm - Their Fall Festival is great for young children. "A tractor takes you over to the field and there are tons of beautiful photo op spots all scattered throughout the fields.” 106 Iron Ore Rd Manalapan Township, NJ 07726
• Giamarese Farm - 155 Fresh Ponds Rd East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Wonderful apple and pumpkin picking.
• Eastmont Orchards - 321 Route 537 Colts Neck, NJ 07722
• Terhune Orchards - 330 Cold Soil Rd Princeton, NJ 08540 Renowned in the state for apple picking, but they also have horseback rides and wine tastings for adults. Their wine is supposed to be pretty good.

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.