Where To Pick Pumpkins Near Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow This Fall

TARRYTOWN/SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY — 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 seasonal activity blending nature, tradition, and community, and there are several places around the Hudson Valley to create lasting memories with family and friends.

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Many pumpkin patches and fields offer complimentary activities like hay rides, corn mazes and games for the kids. Picking your own pumpkin is also 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 Hudson Valley.

Here are a few of our favorites:

• Muscoot Farm (Katonah, NY): Pumpkin Picking Weekend Oct. 11-13
• Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm (Yorktown Heights, NY)
• Stuart's Fruit Farm (Granite Springs, NY)
• Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard (North Salem, NY)
• Outhouse Orchards (North Salem, NY)
• Dr. Davies Farm (Congers, NY)
• The Orchards of Concklin (Pomona, NY)
• Dykeman Farm (Pawling, NY)
• Barton Orchards (Poughquag, NY)
• Fishkill Farms (Hopewell Junction, NY)
• Apple Dave's Orchards (Warwick, NY)
• Apple Ridge Orchards (Warwick, NY)
• Masker Orchards (Warwick, NY)
• Ochs Orchard (Warwick, NY)
• Pennings Orchard (Warwick, NY)
• Wright Family Farm (Warwick, NY)
• Jones Farm (Cornwall, NY)
• Soons Orchard (New Hampton, NY)
• Lawrence Farm Orchards (Newburgh, NY)
• Pierson's Farm (Middletown, NY)
• DuBois Farms (Highland, NY)
• Manza Family Farm (Montgomery, NY)
• Twin Ponds on the Farm (Montgomery, NY)
• Prospect Hill Orchards (Milton, NY)
• Hurds Family Farm (Modena, NY)
• Dressel Farms (New Paltz, NY)
• Jenkins-Lueken Orchard (New Paltz, NY)
• Wallkill View Farm (New Paltz, NY)
• Greig Farm (Red Hook, NY)
• Saunderskill Farms (Accord, NY)
• Mead Orchards (Tivoli, NY)
• Kelder's Farm (Kerhonkson, NY)
• Locust Grove Fruit Farm (Milton, NY)
• Prospect Hill Orchards (Milton, NY)
• Weed Orchards & Winery (Marlboro, NY)

Keep in mind that carving and baking pumpkins aren't the same. The former are grown in fields to be large, more vibrantly colored, and relatively hollow. The watery flesh doesn't have the same flavor found in 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.

Pumpkins for carving should appear sturdy and clean. Remember, this is the pumpkin that will be front and center on the porch for the Halloween season. Here are some tips for carving a perfect jack-o'-lantern from Warren Nash on YouTube, who 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:

• 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, and step back and admire your work.