Once October arrives, pumpkins crop up everywhere. Fields are dotted with the bright orange globes, grocery stores have stacks upon stacks of them, and they’re decorating nearly every home and store in the country. October is this popular autumn gourd’s harvest season. Greenville has its fair share of pumpkin patches, and I’ve listed a few for you down below. But once the fun of going pumpkin picking with friends or family is over and you’ve brought your chosen one home, what do you do with it?
What to do with pumpkins
Decorate with them
An autumn trend that has been around for a few years is pumpkin painting. If you don’t care for carving your pumpkins, you can still use the gourd in your fall decor. Grab some paint and some brushes and add a touch of flair.
Another way you can make your space more festive is to decorate your pumpkins with lace or ribbon. Simply tie a bow around the stem, and you’re done! You can mix and match colors and patterns to create a look all your own.
The most popular way to decorate with pumpkins, though, is to carve and illuminate them. This is a centuries-old Irish tradition, believe it or not, based on the old Irish legend of Stingy Jack. As the story goes, Stingy Jack tricked the Devil multiple times during his life. When Jack died, he was barred from both heaven and hell. Instead, he was doomed to roam the earth with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put his coal into a hollowed turnip and became known as “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack O’Lantern.”
The first jack-o’-lanterns were carved into potatoes and turnips. But when Irish immigrants moved to America, they were introduced to the pumpkin, a much more suitable produce for making a jack-o’-lantern. Today, pumpkins are used to make many different designs, becoming more luminary than jack-o’-lantern. The traditional spooky face, though, can still be seen on many doorsteps.
Eat them
When you’re choosing a pumpkin, choose with your end product in mind. Different types of pumpkins make better food. Some pumpkins are bred specifically for ideal carving qualities—shallow ribs, thin flesh and a thick stem. Others are cultivated for their taste. Make sure you pick one that suits your needs.
So many yummy pumpkin recipes, so little time. Pumpkin butter, pumpkin roll, pumpkin cobbler—how do you choose? Here are a couple of recipes our office loves.
Pumpkin bread—this recipe comes from Emma, one of our BJUtoday writers. It’s dairy and sugar free, but you would never know!
Pumpkin pie—this is the recipe my own grandmother has used for decades! It’s no secret, though. You can find it on any can of Libby’s pumpkin puree.
Where to get pumpkins
Now that you have a plan for how to use your pumpkin, where can you get one? You could simply walk into almost any grocery store in town and pick one from a bin, but where’s the fun in that? Greenville has a large variety of pumpkin patches to choose from, ranging from working farms with lots of fall activities to local churches raising funds for charity.
See Also: Get Lost in Upstate Corn Mazes
Denver Downs
Website: denverdownsfarm.com/pumpkins
- Open from Sept. 28 to Nov. 10
- Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 1–6 p.m.
- They have many other fall activities, including a Pumpkin Princess Pageant and a corn maze.
Little Cane Creek Farm
Website: littlecanecreekfarm.com
- Open from Sept. 28 to Nov. 10
- Friday: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- There are many other activities to enjoy here, including a Chick-fil-A-themed corn maze, inflatables, a sunflower patch, hayrides and apple canons.
Strawberry Hill, U.S.A.
Website: strawberryhillusa.com
- Open from Sept. 21 to Nov. 3
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Strawberry Hill’s pumpkin patch is unique because you get to take the wagon ride to get there!
- This farm also has a corn maze and farm animals you can feed.
Stewart Farms
Website: stewartfarms.net
- Open from Sept. 21 to Oct. 27
- Friday: 4–10 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 1–7 p.m.
- Stewart Farms also has a corn maze, a wagon ride and a sunflower field. On certain nights, they host the Big Boo, a family-friendly spooky version of their corn maze. On those nights, the wagon ride is also open late with illuminated scarecrow scenes and luminaries.
St. Matthew United Methodist Church
- Open through Oct. 31
- Daily hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Proceeds support their church missions projects
St. Giles Presbyterian Church
Website: stgilespres.org/pumpkins
- Open from Sept. 29 to Oct. 31
- Monday through Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday: 12–6:30 p.m.
- Proceeds go to their youth group’s mission trips
Holy Cross Pumpkin Patch
Facebook page: facebook.com/PumpkinPatchSimpsonvilleSc
- Opening Oct. 5
- Monday through Friday: 12–8 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Sunday: 12–7 p.m.
- Proceeds are donated to local charities
Abiding Peace Lutheran Church
Website: abidingpeacelutheran.org
- Open Oct. 14-31
- Daily hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Proceeds are donated to local charities
- The church will also host a Pumpkin Fest on Oct. 26 with a bake sale, face painting, hayrides and more.
