Pumpkin Patches Near Vancouver
Photo credit: Keira Mellis on Flickr
The air is crisp, acorns spot the sidewalks and any foliage that can turn from green to red is well on its way. With warm pumpkin-spiced beverages in hand, what better seasonal activity is there for Thanksgiving and Halloween than heading out to a local pumpkin patch to pick out some those bright orange bulbs. For baking, cooking, and carving, the adventure is just beginning once you reach the farm. Here’s a roundup of pumpkin patches near Vancouver along with a few helpful tips:
Photo credit: Ann Hung on Flickr
Vancouver Pumpkin Patches
Southlands Farm Pumpkin Patch
Location: 6767 Balaclava Street, Vancouver
Features: Reserved group visits or family drop-in. See the horses, pet the lambs, and pick a pumpkin from the Old Apple Orchard. Some grown on-site and others are brought in from Westham Island Herb Farm in Delta. Open daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm during October only.
Facebook | Twitter
Photo credit: GoToVan on Flickr
Richmond Pumpkin Patches
Country Pumpkin Patch
Location: 12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond
Features: Corn maze, hayrides, and more. Open Mondays to Fridays from 9:00am to 1:30pm and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 10:00am to 4:30pm. Admission fees apply.
Delta Pumpkin Patches
Westham Island Herb Farm Pumpkin Patch
Location: 4690 Kirkland Road Delta
Features: Pumpkins, ornamental gourds, cornstalks, miniature and full-sized hay bales and sweet sugar pumpkins for baking or cooking. 100-150 hand carved pumpkins lit nightly.
Facebook | Twitter
Maple Ridge Pumpkin Patches
Laity Pumpkin Patch
Location: 21145 128th Avenue, Maple Ridge
Features: 18 acre farm with attractions and activities. Open Mondays to Fridays 1:30pm to 5:00pm. Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 9:30am to 5:00pm. Admission fees apply.
Photo credit: MzGingerSnaps on Flickr
Surrey, Langley Pumpkin Patches
Rondriso Farms Pumpkin Patch
Location: 8390 172nd Street, Surrey
Features: Purchase from the yard, or take a haywagon ride down to the field. 10:00am to 6:00pm on weekends, holidays and professional days, and 3:00pm to 6:00pm on weekdays for the last two weeks in October.
Bose Farm Pumpkin Patch
Location: 64th and 156th street, Surrey
Features: Across the street from the corn maze. Open Saturdays and Sundays 11:00am to 5:00pm and Thanksgiving Monday. Cash only. From mini gourds to giant pumpkins.
Facebook
Aldor Acres
Location: 8301 252 St, Langley
Features: Private guided pumpkin tours.
Facebook | Twitter
Abbotsford, Chilliwack Pumpkin Patches
Applebarn Pumpkin Farm
Location: 333 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford
Features: Cinderella pumpkins and larger pumpkins for carving. Open Fridays and Saturdays 9:00am to 8:00pm until October 31st.
Facebook | Twitter
Maan Farms
Location: 790 McKenzie Road, Abbotsford
Features: Regular pumpkins, white pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins (red pumpkins), green pumpkins, goose bump pumpkins, ornamental pumpkins and gourds. No admission fee for the pumpkin patch. Open Mondays through Sundays 9:00am to 6:00pm (until October 16th), then until 10:00pm (until October 31st).
Facebook | Twitter
Chilliwack Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Location: 41905 Yale Road West, Chilliwack
Features: 12 acre corn maze and over 15 varieties of pumpkin. Open Thursdays and Fridays from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, Saturdays from 11:00am to 9:00pm, Sundays and Holidays from 11:00am to 6:00pm. Admission fees apply.
Facebook | Twitter
Photo credit: Richmond, BC on Flickr
Guide to Picking the Perfect Pumpkin
When heading out to a local farm to pick out your family’s pumpkins here are some helpful tips that my sister (who has an active family of seven) once shared with me:
- Don’t pick your pumpkins too early in the season. If you pick them too soon they will be piles of mush long before you you can take a knife to them or they will just be too soft to carve.
- Try to head to the pumpkin patch during “non-peak” times like mid-afternoon during the week to avoid crowds if you can.
- Don’t get carried away by picking out the biggest or the most pumpkins you can carry. Little ones tire quickly of cleaning pumpkin guts and some of the fun of carving your pumpkins will be lost. Also, don’t pick too many as carving pumpkins as it is time consuming and my sister says “you-know-who ends up doing all the work once the kids get tired!“
- Have fun. Put on your boots and old jeans. Let the kids get dirty as they wander the muddy fields finding that ”perfect” one. Bring a bag to carry pumpkins and to protect the trunk of your car. Don’t forget your camera either!
Photo credit: afcone on Flickr
If you can’t make it out to a pumpkin patch, stop by your local farmers market. Trout Lake (open Saturdays until October 19), Kitsilano (open Sundays until October 20), West End (open Saturdays until October 19), Kerrisdale (open Saturdays until October 12), Mount Pleasant (open Sundays until October 13).
Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2013/10/04/pumpkin-patches-near-vancouver/
