The Patch MK, Milton Keynes

Okay, so let’s start with the biggest (and husband-and-wife owners Joe and Ros would say the best). The Patch MK reckons it has over 500,000 pumpkins and squash in its 50-acre PYO fields this autumn – so you’re unlikely to go home empty-handed. Take the kids there in the daytime and combine with exploring family-friendly side-shows like stilt-walking, hula hoop workshops and a hay bale maze. Or head here at night (6pm – 9.30pm) for pumpkin-picking by moonlight with live music from local artists and a fully licensed bar. It’s sold out every year for the last six, so get your bookings in quick! Open on selected dates between now and 31 October.

Pumpkin-Fest at The Walled Garden, West Wycombe

The Walled Garden’s events programme is becoming more high-octane by the month – and it’s pulling out all the stops this autumn. Its Halloween event is called Pumpkin-Fest and it includes pumpkin picking every day from 18-31 Oct, pumpkin patch bingo, ten scenic photo backdrops to capture the perfect seasonal family selfie and face-painting for little ones every weekend. Albert’s Coffee Truck will be parked by the patch to keep you energised and there’s games galore (facilitated by the slightly creepy sounding Pumpkin Patch People). If you’ve still not had your fill of pumpkins, there’s pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and pumpkin spiced lattes available from The Walled Garden Café.

High Lodge Farm, near Abingdon

Run by four sisters, this riverside farm makes connecting kids to nature its M.O and goes big for Halloween. As well as loading pumpkins into a wheelbarrow or sledge – there’s even ‘baby barrows’ for the minis – you can follow an enchanted woodland trail to hunt down some runaway ghouls and wicked witches or hop aboard the barrow train for a tour of the spooky surrounds (and a rest). Rock up as the sunsets for pumpkin picking by torchlight and a beer to toast your efforts. FYI, there’s a very squelchy mud mountain in the farm’s play patch so pack a puddlesuit for the toddlers. It’s open on selected dates throughout October and it’s a real hit so book online to avoid disappointment at the gate.

Rectory Farm, Stanton St John

Pumpkins are the grand finale of Rectory Farm’s PYO season, which starts in May with strawberries and runs through seasonal fruit and flowers to the extensive Pumpkin Patch, which opened at the start of October. This year’s crop includes Racer pumpkins (orange lanterns which weigh between 4-6kg), Harvest Moon pumpkins (also orange but a little smaller at 4kg), and the very large Renegade pumpkins (they weigh a whopping 8kg, so bring a car – or a lorry!). Expect plenty of added extras – face painting, tractor rides and the like – to get you into the witchy spirit. There’s also live music and local gourmet offerings from the likes of Jo Jo’s Pizza and Fink Street Food. Check availability here.

Peterley Manor Farm, Great Missenden

This family farm is always a great PYO day out as entry is free and there’s no pre-booking required. The 15,000 strong patch springs to life on 4 Oct and is open all week long during half-term, with a pumpkin-themed Little Farmers experience for little ones under 7 from 27 – 31 Oct and ceramic pumpkin painting in the Yurt from 28 – 31 Oct (you paint your own pumpkin tealight holders, essentially). There’s pop-up food vans to cater to hungry tummies or book a table at The Barn Kitchen for a hearty sit-down meal – Muddy recommends the Chiltern ‘nduja flatbread.

Lillingstone, near Buckingham

They’ve taken the Halloween theme and run with it down on Stockholt Farm at Lillingstone PYO. They’re marking spooky season with pony rides, tractor adventures, pumpkin picking by torchlight, magic shows, face-painting and even professional photoshoots for an Insta-perfect family snap (I think we need a sit down in a hay bale). The PYO pumpkin fields are something of a bit-part to the jazzy attractions, then – but roll up to the Pumpkin Patch and fill yer’ wheelbarrow anyway. Booking in advance required.

Millets Farm, near Abingdon

The PYO pumpkins are the centrepiece of Millets’ Halloween Spooktacular (their words, not ours). Pluck yourself a pumpkin from Millets’ fields on selected dates between now and Halloween. Entry is from £1.50 pp and PYO prices vary by the size of your pumpkin yield – there’s a huge selection of colours, sizes and shapes so you may need to recruit the troops to take them all to the car. Spooky extras include a Halloween themed goodie bag, a spooky spider hunt and on-site pumpkin carving so you can get tips from the pros and skip the mess at home. Pre-gutted, pre-washed pumpkins, a proper carving kit and tealight are included – what service!

Church Farm, Weston Turville

Stop by Church Farm near Aylesbury for a freshly woodfired slice of pizza before loading up to 50 varieties of pumpkin and squash into your wheelbarrow. What the staff here don’t know about gourds isn’t worth knowing – they’re eager to share recipe tips (Thai pumpkin curry anyone?) and carving expertise. There’s a vintage tractor for photo ops and a bale play area to exhaust the kids. Resident face painter Chrissie is also on hand to turn your sweet angels into spooky ghouls or superheroes. The fun kicks off this weekend and every weekend until the end of Oct, and they’ll stay open throughout half-term if there’s still a decent pumpkin haul to be had

Odds Farm Park, Taplow

You’ll be in PYO heaven down at the Pumpkin Festival (4 Oct – 2 Nov), where little ones can pile their pumpkins from the Oddlotment into a mini-wheelbarrow, then either take them home to carve or head to Carvers Corner to get creative in situ. There’s also a new pumpkin and gourd market to marvel at the season’s best, along with Halloween crafts and a marshmallow toasting station. On selected evenings you can pick well into the PM, with the patch all aglow thanks to strings of twinkling lights, plus a spooky disco and fire show performance.

Hadsham Farm, near Banbury

Hadsham is in its fifth year as a pumpkin picking site and it’s already become a Cotswolds hotspot. It’s taking things to the next level this year, hosting a pumpkin festival to celebrate the giant gourds in all their wonky, gnarly forms. Pick them, decorate them, take them home to make pumpkin soup or go in search of a unique golden pumpkin on the patch to win a prize – there’s much pumpkin-shaped merriment to be had. Even more added value from a spooky sensory trail and a goblin hunt and, full marks for originality here, apparently you can catch goblins in a trebuchet (no, me neither). The festival runs from 18 – 31 Oct and pre-booking is required

Farmer Paul’s, Aylesbury

Don’t fancy tramping through muddy fields? Farmer Paul’s at Weedon Hill Farm, a mere eight-minute drive from Aylesbury, sets out his harvest in a Pumpkin Barn so you can PYO without getting your hands dirty. As well as the classic orange Jack-o-lantern pumpkin, there’s a whole gaggle of gourds here, with a range of prices depending on size. In previous years stock has sold out completely, so get down pronto for the best pick of the patch; it’s open from 4 – 26 Oct.

Copas Farm, Iver

South Bucks locals buy their organic Xmas turkeys at Copas Farm in Cookham Dean – and team Copas hold their own in the pumpkin PYO stakes too. Head to either their Iver or Cookham patches for pumpkin picking on weekends over October until stocks run out. Cookham gets bonus points as it has a maize maze too – although the Iver fruit fields are handily next to Langley Country Park, so make a day of it with a picturesque wander through Capability Brown grounds followed by homemade cake in the park’s tearoom.

Hogshaw Farm and Wildlife Par k, near Aylesbury

After some half-term magic? The Hogshaw Farm and Wildlife Centre in MK becomes the Hogshaw School of Witchcraft and Wizardry around this time of year (25 – 31 Oct). Kids follow the Herbology tutor into the Wizarding Walled Garden to pick their pumpkin before decorating it in the company of their fellow wizards and witches. There are also magical owl shows at the Owlery and potion-making.

Our pick of the PYO pumpkin patches in Bucks & Oxon

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