Best Brandon-Area Pumpkin Patches 2020

BRANDON, FL — While you may not find too many genuine Florida pumpkins for Halloween, fall tradition for many families includes a visit to a local pumpkin patch. The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has caused some of the region's pumpkin patches to modify how they operate, but quite a few will be open this fall. We'll have more hours, attractions and activities as the pumpkin-picking season ramps up.

Chris Winkler of the Pumpkin Patch Florida said most of the pumpkins sold in Florida around Halloween are grown in other states.
Illinois, California and Indiana grew more pumpkins than any of the 16 states that reported statistics to the U.S. Department of Agricultural Statistics Service last year. Illinois alone produced420 million pounds of the Halloween staple.

Florida does have 73 Farms with 91 acres of pumpkins, but Florida accounts for less than 1 percent of the U.S. total production of pumpkins.
"They'll grow (here) but they need the cooler nights," Winkler told Patch. "It's 120 days from seed to harvest. My father years ago tried. We did 40 acres, and we could put all the pumpkins in a pickup truck."

In many cases, coronavirus precautions have merely changed — not shut down — area pumpkin patches and their entertainment options. Below is a list of some of our favorite pumpkin patches near Brandon:

Dave's Pumpkin Patch

Address: 106 E Lumsden Rd #1

Season Opening/Closing Dates: October 9 through 31

Attractions: Photo opportunities and lots of pumpkin fun.

Hours: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., open Monday through Sunday.

Admission: Free

Phone: 813-843-8182

Website

Fox Squirrel Corn Maze

Address: 3002 Charlie Taylor N., Plant City, FL

Season Opening/Closing Dates: October 10 through November 21

Attractions: corn-hole games, badminton, duck races, butterfly garden, cows, horse and pony rides and a gigantic slingshot.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., open on weekends.

Admission: Adults $11.00, children $10.00 and 2 and under get in free.

Phone: 813-756-8918

Website

Wolfe's Produce Market

Address: 6005 US Highway 301 S Riverview, FL

Season Opening/Season Closing: September 25 to October 31

Attractions: Pumpkin patch setup and fun photo opportunities

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., open Monday through Sunday.

Phone: 813-927-2204

Website