Halloween falls on Saturday, so this is your last chance to carve that one of a kind jack-o-lantern!
Over the past two weeks, I’ve gone to two pumpkin carving parties – I don’t think I even went to that many as a child. But there’s something about going to a pumpkin patch and then spending all night carving that makes me feel like a kid again, or it could be that I finally realized that my pumpkin carving technique is about as advanced as a four-year-old.
Even though we didn’t make it to a pumpkin patch before the first party and had to buy dirty, bruised pumpkins from the wooden bin in front of Pick ‘n Save (not the best place to get a good pumpkin) we did end up going to a slightly more conventional “patch” last Saturday.
After our feast of pumpkin pancakes at the Original Pancake House, Eric and I noticed that while we were gorging ourselves, volunteers were unloading hundreds of pumpkins from wagons and trucks and onto the grassy courtyard of St. Mark’s Church. In no time, pumpkins in every size and shape covered the lawn.
With full bellies, we crossed the street and began to poke and prod at the vast selection. Most of the pumpkins were colored bright orange, but some had bruises, scars and soft spots probably from being jostled around during shipment, so we decided to bypass those.
Not only should you check your pumpkin for holes and bruises, you should knock on each pumpkin before you buy it to see if it’s ripe. Of course, you might look like a moron while doing this, but it's worth it. A pumpkin that isn't rotten will make a hollow sound when you drum on it. For other pumpkin picking tips, check out this site.
According to a couple of websites, the very best place to purchase a pumpkin is at a pick-your-own pumpkin patch because that way you’re assured that your pumpkin is fresh from the field. St. Mark’s wasn’t quite that, but it was certainly better than grabbing a beat-up pumpkin from the nearest supermarket again. And since all of the money collected for the pumpkins goes to benefit several good causes – Eastside Senior Services, Habitat for Humanity, The Gathering, Sojourner Truth House and the Navajo Indian Reservation – we chose to get our pumpkins at the church sale and didn’t feel guilty about it.
After paying a couple dollars a piece for our pumpkins, we trudged back to my apartment. On the way, we stopped at a bake sale where two ladies sat at a folding table stacked with paper plates, plastic bags and Tupperware filled with homemade cookies, brownies, cupcakes, dessert breads and other baked goods. Even with our guts on the verge of bursting, we couldn’t resist the pumpkin bread or snicker doodles. Now that our arms were as full as our stomachs, we were ready to go home.
Later that night we lugged our pumpkins over to Tracy and John’s house and once everyone assembled in the basement, the pumpkin carving fun began.
I hadn’t carved a pumpkin since I was in elementary school and since then, it seems that pumpkin carving has evolved a bit. You wouldn’t think that an old tradition such as this could really change that much. But companies now offer computer software for making carving patterns, electric cutting tools and multicolored LED lights that are a lot safer than candles and don’t require re-lighting.
At the party several people were actually using patterns they got from a book at the grocery store while others traced stencils found online at sites like this and this, or by making their own stencil here. At the same time, several people used fancy carving knives or jigsaws to make intricate designs. Even such an elementary challenge took time, planning and a little skill. If you'd like some help, here's a site where you can find useful pumpkin carving tips.
(Thanks for the annual Pumpkin Carving Party photos, Tracy and John!)
While I opted for a pre-picked pumpkin this year, southeastern Wisconsin is packed full of farms that allow you to pick your own pumpkin and offer a host of other attractions and treats, as well. Although Halloween is this weekend, you still have time to carve your jack-o-lantern, but you need to hurry up!
To get you motivated and to make things easier for you, I did a quick search and found a bunch of places where you can go to pick your pumpkin. Here's the list:
Apple Barn Orchard & Winery
W6384 Sugar Creek Rd., Elkhorn
(262) 728-3266
Apple Holler
5006 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant
(262) 886-8500
Barthel Fruit Farm
12246 N. Farmdale Rd., Mequon
(262) 242-2737
Basse's Country Delight
S70 W16050 Janesville Rd., Muskego
(262) 422-0315
Bear Den Zoo and Petting Farm
6831 Big Bend Rd. (Hwy. 164), Waterford
(262) 895-6430
Borzynski's Farm & Floral Market
11600 Washington Ave., Sturtevant
(262) 866-2235
Brehmer's U-pick
5805 Clover Rd., Hartford
(262) 673-6527
Cozy Nook Farm
W39780 State Hwy. 18, Waukesha
(262) 968-2573
The Elegant Farmer
1545 Main St., Mukwonago
(262) 363-6770
The Fideler Farm
2863 Ridge Road, Kewaskum
(262) 338-0494
Godsell Farm
S105 W15585 Loomis Drive, Muskego
(414) 425-2937
Homestead Animal Farm
W320 N9127 Hwy. 83, Hartland
(262) 966-3840
Jim's Pumpkin Farm
W170 N11455 Armada, Germantown
(262) 255-1766
Lange's Country Market
24840 W. Loomis Rd., Wind Lake
(262) 895-2339
Lindners Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze
19075 W. Cleveland Ave., New Berlin
(414) 549-5364
Mayfield Orchard and Nursery
4785 Mayfield Rd, West Bend
(262) 677-3583
Meadowbrook Pumpkin Farm
2970 Mile View Rd, West Bend
(262) 338-3649
Niemann Orchards
9932 W. Pioneer Rd., Cedarburg
(262) 377-4284
Patterson Orchard and Farm Market
124th St between Beloit Rd and Layton Ave
(414) 425-0563
Prospect Hill Garden Center
19305 W. National Ave., New Berlin
(262) 679-2207
R&R Ranch
W225 S8026 Guthrie Road, Big Bend
(262) 662-4920
Schuett Farms LLC
W299 S6370 Hwy 83, Mukwonago
(262) 968-4348
Simon Farms Sunnyside Produce
6000 Racine Ave., Brookfield
(262) 796-1248
Triangle Y Ranch Pumpkin Farm
5535 S. Church St., West Bend
(262) 675-9622
Van Beck's Farm Market
2209 E. College Ave., Oak Creek
(414) 762-0003
Westown Farmers Market
Zeidler Union Square, 3rd & Michigan Streets
(414) 276-6696

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