Where To Pick A Pumpkin Near Cranberry

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA — Signs of fall are everywhere, from cooler nights and turning leaves, to pumpkin spice lattes and other products, and a sea of orange pumpkins in front of the grocery store.

But maybe you want the real deal — an actual pumpkin — in your home this season. Whether you’re planning to bake a pie, 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 Cranberry.

Here are a few suggestions:

Soergel Orchards, Wexford.

Fall Festivals are running every Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 29. This year, Soergel is offering games and activities, tractor rides, flower picking, pumpkin & apple picking, and food.

Shenot Farm, Wexford.

The pumpkin patch is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Hayrides to the pumpkin patch run on Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission is $5 per person (ages 3 and up).

Trax Farms, Finleyville.

Fall Festivals are running every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m through Oct. 29. A hayride ticket is required for access to the corn maze and pumpkin patch and pumpkins are not included in the hayride ticket. The price is $12 per person online, $14 per person on the day of the event at the red hut hayride booth.

Harvest Valley Farms, Gibsonia

Fall Festivals are running every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m-5 p.m. Admission to the farm is free. Pumpkins are paid for at the pumpkin tent and activities are paid for at the ticket booth.

Simmons Farm, McMurray.

Fall activities and hayrides daily Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fall Activities or harvest trail plus hayride. The price is $16 and children under 33 inches tall are free. The price includes a hayride to the field (no pumpkin) and all fall activities.

And if your pumpkin is destined for a starring role on Halloween night, here’s our guide to 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 scooper 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.