Where To Pick Pumpkins In West Islip This Fall

WEST ISLIP, 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 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 Bay Shore. Here are a few of our favorites:

Organics Today Farm

• 169 Washington Street in East Islip
• Organic farm featuring pumpkin picking and hay rides through Halloween.
• Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For additional information, click here.

Brightwaters Farms

• 1624 Manatuck Boulevard in Bay Shore
• Brightwaters Farms' "Fall Harvest" runs through October 27.
• Open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, Sundays, and Columbus Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For additional information, click here.

Elwood Pumpkin Farm

• 1500 E. Jericho Turnpike in Huntington.
• Elwood Pumpkin Farm is open for pumpkin picking on weekends and Columbus Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekdays 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. No credit cards accepted.
• Wagon rides and a corn maze are open on weekends for the kids. For additional information, click here.

Glover Farms

• 635 Victory Ave. in Brookhaven
• Glover Farms is open for pumpkin picking through the end of October from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays; Saturdays, Sundays, and Columbus Day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The farm also features a corn maze.
• For additional information, click here.

F&W Schmitt's Family Farm

• 26 Pinelawn Road, Melville.
• F&W Schmitt's Family Farm is open 7 days a week, Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. through October 30 for its Annual Fall Festival.
• Guests can enjoy hayrides, farm animals, photo ops, sunflower picking, pumpkin wagons, mini-golf, a playground, pony rides, a daytime corn maze, a Haunted Corn Trail, and a Haunted Mansion Walk Through. Pumpkin picking daily.
• The daytime corn maze, pony rides, petting zoo, roasted corn, and concession stand are weekends only.
• For additional information, click here.

White Post Farms

• 250 Old Country Road in Melville.
• Celebrating its Annual Fall Festival on weekends through Oct 27 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include sing-a-long hayrides, pumpkin picking, an animal farm, and paint your own pumpkins. Also enjoy shows including the Magic of John McClenahan, and the Giraffe Experience.
• For additional information, click here.

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.