PYO Pumpkins at Millets Farm

Until this summer I had never been to a Pick Your Own (PYO) place - we met a friend at Millets Farm Centre in Frilford, Oxfordshire and we ended up picking strawberries. So, yesterday, when we were due to meet a different friend at Millets I thought it would be a great opportunity to pick our own pumpkin for Halloween. (We did grow some this year - see my post here - but they were teeny so thought we’d buy a larger one too). Again, it’s not something I’ve ever done before so I have no comparison with other experiences, but this is how we got on.

We have been to Millets lots of times so didn’t do everything, but there’s a lot to do there - some free, some with an additional cost. Millets are very good at putting on seasonal activities too so worth checking out their website to see what’s on when you’re visiting. On this occasion, we were there to catch up with my friend, and to get a pumpkin, so we just visited the garden centre cafe, the garden centre itself, and the pumpkin patch.  

As it’s half term in Oxfordshire, the farm centre was absolutely heaving. There seemed to be plenty of parking, but the overflow car park was open - if you’re going this week expect it to be busy. 

The pick your own pumpkin area was located pretty close to the car park, so not too far for little legs to walk. You will need cash to buy your pumpkin - I used the free cash machine situated in the farm shop. 

PYO pumpkin welcome sign
When you walk into the PYO area you can collect a wheelbarrow. There were some child-sized ones, and larger ones. We only wanted one pumpkin but grabbed a large wheelbarrow so the kids could have a ride in it (thanks to my friend Emma for pushing!). Obviously, if you’re not buying much you could just carry your pumpkin as it really isn’t far to walk. 

Kids in wheelbarrow
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it was less “pick your own pumpkin” and more “choose a pumpkin from the floor of a big field rather than a stand in the supermarket”. (I’m guessing it’s because the fruits would all be ready at different times so need to be removed from the plants to keep them at their optimum but really have no idea!?) Having said that, we all really enjoyed ourselves. There was a huge spider display, and the pumpkins were spread out nicely in rows, so good to have a wander through. 

Spider Halloween decoration

Our pumpkin had just a handful of requirements: large-ish size, bit of a stalk still on the top, flat bottom so it would sit nicely when carved, and a nice looking side to carve into. We found loads which fit the bill, the kids chose the one they wanted, and popped it into the wheelbarrow. 

There was a bit of a queue to pay, but it moved pretty quickly. The staff were helpful, and our pumpkin set me back £3 (I think the top price was £3.50). Yes, it’s more expensive than a supermarket bought one and, no, we didn’t actually pick a pumpkin, but it was a nice experience and the kids enjoyed themselves. As I say, I’ve never been to a PYO pumpkin place before, so I’m assuming this is a pretty standard experience - but let me know if otherwise. 

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Do you bother with Halloween pumpkins? Do you quickly grab one from the supermarket or do you have a favourite pumpkin patch to visit? Let me know your recommendations in the comments.    


Pumpkin round hay bale




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