No tricks, only treats as surprise harvest brings success for pumpkin patch
Family-run farm sees abundant harvest despite dry summer
It's been a smashing season for a Northamptonshire pumpkin patch this year.
Wappenham Farm near Towcester says it feared this year's pumpkin crop would struggle due to the hot, dry summer, but instead it has produced one of its best harvests yet.
Farm owner Annette Wilson said the family-run farm had seen an abundance of pumpkins and gourds ahead of Halloween.
"We honestly thought that we were going to struggle this year with the size of the pumpkins and even if they would be producing many fruits," she said.
"We've probably had one of the best crops we've ever had'
"We haven't watered them at all, we've just let nature take its course, and we've really had no end of big pumpkins, medium pumpkins and all different shapes and sizes."
Despite the success of the pumpkin crop, Ms Wilson said the prolonged dry weather had affected other parts of the farm's business.
As well as pumpkins, the farm grows rye and maize.
"The rye forage yield was not too bad at all," she said.
"Whereas the maize was noticeably different. The yield was a lot less and the crop is also a lot shorter, so the dry weather has definitely had a bad impact on that crop."
Ms Wilson said events such as pumpkin picking gave people the opportunity to connect with local farming and better understand where their food comes from.
"It's lovely for people to be able to come onto the farm and get a better understanding as to what goes on within our farming year," she said.
"Rather than just popping to a supermarket and grabbing something off the shelf, people can see where the pumpkins are grown and the work that's gone into producing them."
She also encouraged people to find ways to reuse pumpkins after Halloween, whether by cooking with them, toasting the seeds or leaving carved pumpkins outside for wildlife to enjoy.
The farm is currently welcoming visitors for its Pumpkin Farm Festival, which includes pumpkin picking, a spooky trail through a corn maze, farm animals and seasonal activities.