Where To Pick A Pumpkin Near Long Branch-Eatontown

LONG BRANCH, NJ — Signs of fall are everywhere, from cooler nights and turning leaves, to pumpkin spice lattes and other products, and a sea of orange pumpkins in front of the grocery store.

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 Long Branch-Eatontown:

Here are a few suggestions:

• Battleview Orchards, Freehold
• Countryview Farm Nursery Monroe
• Eastmont Orchards Colts Neck
• Happy Day Farm Manalapan
• Red Wagon Farm Market Manalapan
• Twin Pond Farm Garden Center Howell
• C. Casola Farms Marlboro

If you don't mind driving an hour or so north and west:

Schaefer Farms Flemington

Snyder's Farm Somerset

Von Thun's Country Farm Market South Brunswick

Fairfield Farms https://www.fairfieldfarms.net...
177 Big Piece Rd, Fairfield, NJ 07004
Open daily 'till 5:30 p.m. Activities offered this year:

• Hayrides
• Rock and Roll (human hamster ride)
• Pumpkin Picking
• Rope Maze

• Corn Maze
• Pumpkin Slingshot
• Big Bale Mountain of Fun
• Farm Animals (feeding station)

Phone: (973) 227-1011

Brookhollow's Barnyard 301 Rockaway Valley Rd Boonton, NJ 07005 https://www.brookhollowsbarnya...
(201) 400-4505

Heavenly Hill Farms
451 NJ-94, Vernon Township, NJ 07462
Open daily 'till 6 p.m.

It's worth the drive into North Jersey bear country to check out their always-popular Fall Harvest Festival. The Heavenly Hill Fall Harvest Fest includes:

• Tractor Hay Ride through Fields (weekend 10am – 5pm; weekdays 12pm – 5pm)
• Western-Themed Corn Maze
• Hay Maze!
• Barnyard Sports Ball-Cade
• Hay Crawl
• Visiting Farm Animals
• Boo Barn!
• Chicken Little Show
• Dancing Robot Show
• Vortex Tunnel
• Obstacle Course
• Pedal Cars
• Touring Cars
• Skee-Ball
• Giant Straw Bale Pyramid
• Post Pounder
• Duck Race
• Bee Barn and so much MORE!

If we missed your favorite pumpkin patch, be sure to share it with readers in the comments section.

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.

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.