Like many others this weekend we wrapped up warm, and headed to our local pick your own pumpkin patch! From a quick bit of research I found two in the Kent area - one in Maidstone which has only just opened, and then one in Sevington, near Ashford. We opted for the Ashford farm after being recommend it by Harriet, and it really didn't disappoint!
Easily located (it's just off the M20 and well signposted), we parked up and got ready for our pumpkin picking adventure. This was our first year, as honestly I never even realised these kind of places existed in the UK!
Luckily it was dry so wellies weren't really a necessity, but I would definitely recommend them regardless - also brings gloves, as some tops of the pumpkins were a little on the prickly side.
From the second we arrived the kids were in their element. A HUGE field to explore, absolutely filled to the brim with bright orange pumpkins. Wheelbarrows were provided to help you with collecting (although these can get used up pretty quickly if it's busy).
Round ones, flat ones, white ones, bobbly ones - I don't think I've ever seen so many different pumpkins before. Much more exciting than the ones you can buy at the shops!
After 5 minutes we had collected nearly a full wheelbarrow load already. The kids were collecting every pumpkin they could manage - even Parker knew what to do! - and were just throwing them in.
Despite the car park being quite full, the field really didn't feel busy at all. With so many hidden gems to find as well, it's definitely worth exploring as far as you can! We eventually managed to reduce our wheelbarrow to just the pumpkins we wanted to actually buy - a very hard task with kids coming from all angles secretly throwing them in!
Even with all the extras you don't really need to worry about spending a lot of money though. Prices start at £1 (or as low as 50p for the extra little ones), and only go up to £4 for even the biggest 'Monsters'. We picked up two decent sized pumpkins for carving, and 3 little ones for a grand total of £7.50 - such a bargain!
If you're planning on visiting I'd definitely make it soon, as I can imagine it's only going to get busier! Entry and the car park are free, you just pay for what you pick. They also have reasonably priced hot drinks, a tombola and glitter tattoos on offer too. Just make sure you check out the Facebook Page for up to date information!