Where To Pick Pumpkins In Wayne And Around North Jersey This Fall

WAYNE, NJ — Heading out to a patch or field to pick the best or biggest pumpkin isn’t just about finding the perfect candidate for a Halloween jack-o-lantern. It’s a chance to head out with the family in a cherished fall tradition full of fun activities, whether you're stopping by a farm in Wayne or heading elsewhere to look for one.

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 Wayne. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Farms View Market and Garden Center (945 Black Oak Ridge Rd., Wayne): Has hay rides and pick-your-own pumpkins. Tickets to the pumpkin patch are $12 per person on weekdays, and $14 on Saturday and Sundays (as well as on Columbus Day). Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Fairfield Farms and Greenhouses (177 Big Piece Road, Fairfield): Has hay rides, pick-your-own pumpkins, a corn maze, and other fall fun; tickets are required. Open from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
• Conklin Farm U-Pick (corner of Vreeland Avenue and River Road, Montville): Has pick-your-own pumpkins, with hay rides on Saturday and Sunday only. There is a $10 parking fee per car. Open Tuesday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Alstede Farms (1 Alstede Farms Ln., Chester): Has pick-your-own pumpkins and other produce; tickets are required. Open daily, with ticketed pick-your-own admission hours from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fields close at 6 p.m.
• Abma's Farm (700 Lawlins Rd., Wyckoff): Has hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins, and a petting zoo; tickets are required. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and select weekdays.

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:

• A 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.

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