Fall is in the air with Halloween just around the corning. It’s time to head to your local pumpkin patch to find the perfect carving pumpkin. This year I visited Wilfert Farms in Two Rivers, WI. It was opening weekend for their Pumpkin Patch. At this Midwest farm you can pick your own pumpkin or select from a large assortment of decorative, jack-o’-lantern, pie or white pumpkins that have been pre-picked for you. If you want to pick your own you can grab a cart and head across the road to the pumpkin patch. The field is dotted with orange pumpkins big and small. Walk down the dirt path and search for a tall pumpkin with a curly stem or a short round pumpkin with lots of carving potential. In addition to a huge selection of pumpkins they also offer corn stalks, straw bales, gourds and mum plants for all your outdoor fall decorating.
Wilfert Farms, Two Rivers, WI
Wilfert Farms is a mid-sized family farm operating in Manitowoc County, WI, which is in east central WI just a few miles off Lake Michigan’s west coast. Quality vegetables are their business. Available produce includes asparagus, beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, onions, peppers, strawberries, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes and watermelon. Step inside the barn and select from a variety of in season produce.
U-Pick Pumpkin Patch
If you live in a region of the country where pumpkins are grown make a plan to go pumpkin picking this year. Visiting a local pumpkin patch is a great way to spend a fall day with the family. Many farms with u-pick pumpkins will also offer other fresh fall fruits and vegetables. Find u-pick pumpkin farms by searching at U-Pick Farm Locator.
Jack-o’-lantern History
According to the Merriam-Webster website the term jack-o’-lantern has been used in American English to describe a lantern made from a hollowed-out pumpkin since the 19th century, but the term originated in 17th-century Britain, where it was used to refer to a man with a lantern or to a night watchman. At that time, the British often called men whose names they didn’t know by a common name like Jack. Thus, an unknown man carrying a lantern was sometimes called “Jack with the lantern” or “Jack of the lantern.” We know where ‘jack-o’-lantern’ comes from. What’s less certain is how the name came to be applied to a hollowed-out pumpkin. Click here to discover more about the history of the jack-o’-lantern.
Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
Looking for some creative pumpkin carving ideas. Visit our U-Pick Pinterest Board dedicated to the Halloween jack-o’-lantern. Pumpkin decorating is much more that just about hollowing out the inside and carving a face. Our Pinterest board shows ideas of no-carve crafty creations using paint and flowers. Get inspired this year and try something new.
