The fun of picking Panthwylog pumpkins

With an autumn nip in the air and the nights drawing in due to the change in hour, everyone's attention is now turning towards preparing for winter.  Many of us will start thinking about bringing the cattle into their winter homes so that they can be fed in a dry and warm environment and give the land some breathing space over the winter.

But one popular use of land recently is planting pumpkins which offers hours of fun for families all over Wales as they visit farms to pick pumpkins for Halloween.   Originally from America, pumpkins were introduced to Europe by explorers in the 16th century. They were initially used for food and practical purposes, but became an important crop and later gained popularity in the UK and US through Halloween traditions. Today, pumpkins are an integral part of many foods and have worldwide cultural significance.

But pumpkins are not only popular in America. A number of farms in Wales have now diversified into planting and growing pumpkins.  Jess Severs, a member of the Union in Ceredigion, opens the farm gate of Panthwylog, Llanon and welcomes the public to pick pumpkins during a period in October. But where did the idea of ​​growing pumpkins come from? Here’s Jess to explain more: “Apart from really testing our marriage (haha) we wanted to generate extra revenue for the farm. As single farm payments are dropping we felt we needed to diversify and become more self-sufficient. Doing a pumpkin patch fitted with our farming calendar as the shed was not really in use in October as stock is still out in fields, harvest done and the pumpkins are fairly self sufficient given enough water. However each crop we have planted has varied with different weather conditions. We have also secured planning to do some glamping on the farm too although this has become a very expensive project and one we can’t afford right now. So another reason why the pumpkins worked better for us. A much smaller outlay, over a short period of trading. 

“Since starting the business, we have developed more games and fun activities for families to do whilst visiting. A big draw is toasting marshmallows outside on our fire pit as well as the new fairy trail incorporated this year. We wanted the patch to be really interactive for families as well as being a great way to get outdoors and enjoy the open space and a reasonably priced activity for families. The patch also offers visitors to the area something to do in the autumn. Quite a few caravaners are still around who come to enjoy the attraction. We have planted different and more varieties and tripled the amount of plants planted since the first year. The demand has been really good and we are slowly building a loyal customer following. 

“We have tried to keep the offering the same as reviews have been really positive and customers returning. We’ve added new props and new games etc. Building a good social media following has been fun as well as challenging. Ensuring content is fun and engaging as well as fresh is important to entice customers to visit.” 

But have you ever wondered what happens to the leftover pumpkins after the Halloween period is over? “The sheep really like them, pumpkins are quite rich in potassium and magnesium. During our first year the sheep managed to escape the electric fence and had managed to nibble quite a few in the field! To say I wasn’t best pleased in the middle of pumpkin season was an understatement! This has not happened again!”

Thank you Jess for giving us an insight into a really fun way to diversify.  Not only is it a very important stream of additional income, but also a way of attracting people to a working farmyard and offering them a fun opportunity to spend a few hours outdoors picking pumpkins!  We look forward to seeing what Pantwylog Pumpkins have to offer next year!