Pick Of The Patch: Where To Find A Pumpkin Near Doylestown

DOYLESTOWN, PA ? It?s that time of year again. Pumpkin products are popping up on shelves and the pumpkin spice latte is back on drink menus nationwide.

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 Doylestown.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Froelich's Farm and Garden, 3143 York Road, Furlong. Fall Festival, Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 1 to 30, hayrides, corn maze, bonfires, monster slide, pick your own pumpkins, inflatables, yard games, petting zoo visits, pumpkin decorating and more.
• Winding Brook Farm, 3041 Bristol Road, Warrington. During the month of October, celebrate the fall season with us. We have a corn maize, hay maze, pumpkin patch and hayrides.
• None Such Farm, 4493 York Road, Buckingham. During four weekends in October, None Such Farm transforms a grass field in the middle of a pick-your-own pumpkin patch into a festival. Good food, music and family-style fun.
• Hellerick's Farm and Garden Center, 5500 North Easton Road, Doylestown. A fall festival features a variety of activities, including pumpkins, hayrides, corn mazes and more.
• Tabora Farm and Orchard, 1104 Upper Stump Road, Chalfont. On weekends in October, families can take wagon rides down to pick the perfect pumpkin.
• Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley 19067. Fall fest includes pumpkin picking, corn maze, wagon rides and more.
• Eastburn Pumpkin Patch, 1085 Durham Road, Pineville. Small, family-owned pumpkin patch offering a variety of pumpkins and gourds in October.
• Styer Orchard, 97 Styers Lane, Langhorne. White, fairytale and jack-o-lantern pumpkins on sale now. Pick-your-own pumpkins in October. Check for schedule.
• Snipes Farm, 890 West Bridge Street, Morrisville. Find the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch on October weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

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.

Materials

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.