It seems like summer ended recently and it's already Halloween weekend coming up! I really like this time of year. The colourful leaves, fresh air, morning breeze, apples, pears, autumn vegetables and pumpkins, they all remind me, it's autumn. Pumpkins and Halloween however, are quite new to me. I had obviously seen and eaten pumpkins before, but we don't celebrate Halloween in the Czech Republic. I'd never carved a pumpkin until we moved to the UK, but I quickly embraced this tradition.
Last weekend P. and I took our first trip to the pumpkin patch. We usually buy pumpkins at a supermarket or garden centre. However, since I read a few blog posts about pumpkin picking, I've wanted to pick my own Halloween pumpkin. Luckily, I stumbled upon Beluncle Farm. Weather was beautiful and sunny last weekend so going to the pumpkin patch sounded like a great idea for a Sunday trip.
We arrived at the farm in the afternoon and on our arrival we were welcomed by a lovely lady who showed us the way to a large field full of gorgeous orange pumpkins of all sizes and shapes. All kids at the farm were having lots of fun picking pumpkins. I felt happy like a kid wandering through rows of pumpkins, trying to find all members of our “pumpkin family“.
We had the pleasure to chat with Mark Batchelor, who runs Beluncle Farm together with his wife Verity. He let me take some photos of his artichoke farm, but more on that some other time. The lovely lady turned out to be Mark's mother and she shared her favourite way to roast squash - with a little bit of honey. I can't wait to give it a try.
What made this trip even more special was the fact, that all proceeds from the PYO event went to Colitis and Crohn's UK. Mark and Verity's son Luke who is only 10, suffers from Crohn's disease and his parents organised the PYO weekend as a fundraising event. Is there a better thing than spending a great afternoon and helping a good cause?
I think this was an amazing event. I hope to come back next year for more pumpkin picking!
Now it's time to carve our pumpkin family! Have a happy and spooky Halloween weekend! :)
*******
Beluncle Farm, Stoke Road, Hoo, UK
