October is officially here! With its commencement comes the arrival of pumpkins in shops and the opening of pumpkin patches across the country.
It would be spooktacular if SIN could get in touch with Jack Skellington and conduct an interview about all things pumpkin picking! Or how to pick your pumpkin and pumpkin patch recommendations, nevertheless we will just have to rely on careful research and strict observation when it comes to choosing our perfect orange vegetable.
SIN has you covered this month whether you are buying your pumpkin straight from a supermarket or adding to the fun by visiting one of Galway’s pumpkin patches. It’s a guaranteed day of fun having hundreds of fresh pumpkins to choose from!
Galway Pumpkin Patch
A spooky treat of a place that opened back in 2018; this pumpkin patch has grown in popularity amongst Galway’s locals. The pumpkin patch event is situated on the grounds of the Castletaylor estate in Ardrahan in the south of Galway.
However, the patch is only open for the weekends during October, luckily for us, weekends are dedicated to fun, relaxation and for a limited time only for this season, picking and carving pumpkins! The Galway Pumpkin Patch also has friendly farm animals; goats, sheep, a Shetland pony, and chickens as well as pop-up photo stations and two famous Disney characters; Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Be aware that Galway’s Pumpkin Patch is a ticket only event. One large pumpkin or a selection of smaller pumpkins are available with each family ticket, however, more pumpkins can be bought at the entrance or exits. Tickets are bought in hourly slots! Single adult and child tickets are priced at €12.50. There are also family deals available. Be sure to check their website for availability before travelling.
It is sure to make a memorable weekend for all who attend. A day picking your perfect pumpkin and petting farm animals; a weekend well spent.
Michael’s Pumpkin Patch
Nestled snug in Bunnatubber, Corrandulla is Michael’s Pumpkin Patch with all the added spooky delights of pumpkin picking, animals, and photo-booths.
Michael has shared his story of growing up with pumpkins on his online pumpkin patch page, “I started this pumpkin patch in 2020, I have grown pumpkins since I was five. In 2018, I grew over 200 plants and decided to do a pumpkin patch. The first year we decided to test the waters with 300 hundred plants and thankfully they all grew well. We put up online tickets thinking we put too many, but they started selling out like crazy with similar experiences happening in 2021 and 2022. This year we are bigger and better than ever with over 6,000 plants.”
For Michael’s Pumpkin Patch, there are 20-minute slots per €20 car. This includes one pumpkin but you can also choose to buy more on the day.
Snatch those dates up quick as there’s always wide interest in pumpkin picking this season. Always ensure there is space before you travel to your patch of choice. Never forgetting those wellies and warm clothes of course!
When it comes to picking the perfect pumpkin, it is all about your personal preference; large or small, white, green, or orange. A fresh, high-quality pumpkin should be solid to the touch. Usually, a rich orange colour that have a firm, hard rind. These quality inspections will ensure your display will last throughout Halloween!
Needless to say, all pumpkins are perfect and are ready to be carved and decorated whatever way you choose. It may seem like we are choosing a pumpkin, but often it is the pumpkin that chooses us because they stick out from the rest of their pumpkin cult to catch our eye. Jack Skellington would think it strange if he read this.
All he would say is, “You’ll know your pumpkin when you see it, and I expect my face to be carved on to it; I am the pumpkin king after all.”
