Understand
Pimp your pumpkin if it's too small to carve, farmers say
Overview
Following a severe summer drought and extreme temperatures that left pumpkins smaller than usual, farmers and pumpkin patch operators are encouraging families to "pimp" smaller gourds using paint, glitter, and plastic accessories instead of carving them. While some growers faced financial losses and increased costs for irrigation, attractions like Bell's Pumpkin Patch in Lincolnshire are still seeing strong visitor numbers and successfully promoting decorative crafting and alternative activities like pumpkin cannons.
Key points
- Summer droughts and extreme temperatures have left pumpkins significantly smaller across parts of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
- Bell's Pumpkin Patch is offering free paints, glitter, and plastic teeth to encourage visitors to decorate smaller gourds instead of carving them.
- The National Farmers Union (NFU) noted that smaller squashes offer a good opportunity to educate children about weather impacts on agriculture.
- Some growers faced financial losses, such as farmer Andrew Mottram who lost around £10,000 in pick-your-own income due to undersized crops.
- Other farmers, like Josh Wilson in East Yorkshire, saved their crops using costly mains-water irrigation systems.
- Despite smaller fruit sizes, the NFU assured that plenty of British pumpkins remain available for Halloween carving and cooking.