Pumpkin Picking at Maxey's Farm Shop 2018

It has been our tradition of the last 5 years to visit Maxey's Farm Shop in Kirklington to pick our Halloween pumpkins. What started out as a small field at the front of their shop has fast grown into one of the biggest pumpkin patches in the UK.

Although we are usually wrapped up well at this time of year, perhaps with a hat or at least wellies, this year saw my daughter in a t-shirt and shorts and us basking in 23 degree sunshine; oh global warming, you cheeky thing, you!

The field this year stretched as far as the eye could see, full to the brim of pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colours.

Finding that perfect one is never easy and we only had half an hour to complete the task, as we'd visited after school.  My daughter had her mind set on a white one; we still have a similar specimen sourced from Maxey's 2 years ago, I'm not sure whether that makes me frugal or a hoarder but it is miraculously still going strong.

In 2016, ours was the only was the only white pumpkin available; this year however, there were plenty to choose from and they were all laid out in beautiful lines cutting through the rest of the traditional orange beauties.

My daughter spent ages finding her perfect, as she called it 'bibbity bobbity boo pumpkin'. My son, less discerning, pretty much chose the first one he picked up and looked at, a bit like when we go shopping I guess.

Sure, there are cheaper pumpkins available in the supermarkets these days, but this way gave us some valuable time out in the fresh air, lots of fun picking our own pumpkins and importantly we were able to support a local business do something that they clearly do well. I mean who would have thought they could create so many wonderful pumpkins considering the hot weather and drought a lot of us faced this year.

Pumpkin Picking - Autumn Fun at Maxeys Farm Shop

With Halloween not far away we decided to head up to one of our favourite places at this time of the year and take part in one of Autumns most fun activities, pumpkin picking.

We've been pumpkin picking at Maxeys Farm Shop for the last few years, so with this year being bigger and better we decided to head up during a break in the rain last weekend.

It was muddy, but for me this added to the fun.  We donned our wellies and slid around the field looking for that perfect pumpkin, the sun shone brightly and we couldn't wait to find the ones.

You just know when you see the pumpkin that you want, it stands out, it looks at you with those take me home orange wrinkles or for me this year white and blue.

We walked around that field for over an hour, searching for that special pumpkin and eventually each of the children found theirs. We even found a couple of rather bumpy pumpkins that we decided to bring home too, so they could fulfil their pumpkin destiny.

Afterwards we walked through the spooky wood, paid our respects at the pumpkin graveyard and then the children both had a go on the pumpkin bouncy castle.

The field of orange was awe inspiring and to see so many pumpkins growing you can't even begin to imagine the hard work and commitment that goes in to growing them, it is definitely a long term relationship.

A quick ice-cream (and might I add very yummy ice cream from Thaymar) and a sit down in the sunshine before we headed back down the field to pay, it had at this point started to get a bit cloudy and not wanting to get stuck in the rain we headed home.

Not before a quick lunch stop in the farm shop and to pick up my white pumpkin and blue squash, they look gorgeous sat amongst the orange.

If you are local to Nottingham I can only re-iterate what I have said in previous years, this is a great place to see how food grows, to help out a local business and to spend a few hours outdoors with the family

Pumpkin Picking, an Autumn Treat

It's half term for us at the moment and with the weather holding out for the time being, we headed to Maxeys Farm Shop for a bit of pumpkin picking. We visited last year and the kids loved it, if you are local to Nottingham I can highly recommend it.

With a wheelbarrow in tow, we headed out into the field to survey the pumpkins and pick the ones we wanted. With prices ranging from £2 to £5 or a bit more for the really big ones, there isn't much difference between buying from a supermarket, except with this you are supporting a small and local business.

There were so many to chose, from teeny tiny ones to some super big ones, ranging in colour from  green to yellow and beautiful orange. Both the children chose their pumpkins, although when we got home my daughter decided she wanted mine, we even found one for Daddy too.

After we checked our pumpkins and examined them in all their pumpkin beauty, we headed to pay. I have often spoken with Katherine the owner of Maxey's and her dedication to making this a great event is wonderful. She gave both the children a lucky dip ticket to take inside to get themselves a little prize, this meant I got to swoon over the many beautiful vegetables, meats, cakes, breads, cheeses and much more that they sell. I did buy a few bits that I needed and we took home our pumpkins and they are now taking pride of place in the lounge until we carve them next week.

This wonderful outdoor activity means you can enjoy what autumn has to offer, wonderful colours and beautiful shapes and if you don't fancy carving your pumpkins then how about some wonderful warming soup or pies?

Pumpkin Picking Fun

After a trip out with my brother today, we visited Maxeys Farm Shop in Kirklington for a spot of pumpkin picking.

First of all, we looked at the rather awesome huge pumpkins that they'd grown, quite how I have no idea!

Next up we walked up the pumpkin and halloween themed path to where all of the pumpkins were grown, all the pumpkins on the path had been carved so it gave us some ideas.

There were so many to chose from so we had to walk around and check them all out.

There were some really perfect pumpkins...

Some rather knobbly pumpkins...

And then some really rude pumpkins...

I love how Maxeys has setup the pumping picking area, it's fun and gets everyone into the spirit, there are wheelbarrows for you to carry your pumpkins back to the car and and a little something extra for the kids. We certainly had lots of fun choosing them and can't wait to carve them in a few weeks for halloween.

Halloween fun!

So we have the pumpkins...

And thanks to Tesco and their half price sale on all Halloween costumes we have the outfits.

My son wanted to be a bat and this bat costume was a snip at £4 and the little witches outfit for my little girl (who hasn't really got a choice) was only £3.

We have a few bits from a party a few years ago and I think we will be making some spooky cakes on Saturday.

We haven't decided whether we are going to go trick or treating just to the neighbours we know or have a little party with the grandparents but hopefully my son will have fun.

I have found a simple, easy and hopefully less messy alternative to the toffee apples, chocolate dipped apples yummy. I think you can buy kits from the supermarket with Halloween sprinkles etc.

There are some fab ideas over on the New Mummy's Tips blog for Halloween drinks, decorations etc so pop on over and have a look if you need some inspiration.

Autumn, apples and pumpkins too!

Summer was great but I do love autumn, me and my son have just been up the garden to pick these apples before they all fall off and rot.

I am hoping to make them into a crumble and maybe some chutney (if anyone has a good chutney recipe I would be most grateful).

And yesterday we popped into White Post Farm Shop to pick up these quite frankly gorgeous pumpkins!

The one at the front is a gorgeous bumpy thing that is too pretty to carve so we may leave this one, although I don't feel they are fulfilling their pumpkin destiny if they aren't hollowed out and made into  soup and a lantern ;)