Where To Pick Pumpkins Near Pleasanton This Fall — And How To Carve Them

PLEASANTON, CA — Heading out to a patch or field around Pleasanton to pick the best or biggest pumpkin isn't just about finding the perfect Halloween jack-o'-lantern.

It's one of those fall traditions that gets people outside, into the fields and together with family and friends — with a little fresh air, a little dirt and, ideally, a pumpkin worth hauling home.

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Many pumpkin patches and fields make a day of it, with hayrides, corn mazes, games for the kids and other seasonal activities. Picking your own pumpkin also supports the local farmers who planted, tended and harvested the crop.

Whether you plan to carve a jack-o'-lantern or just add some festive flair to your stoop, there are plenty of places to pick up a pumpkin near Pleasanton. Here are a few of our favorites:

For the first time ever, Pleasanton will also be home to Pumpkins After Dark, which runs select Thursday through Sunday nights at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. Guests can enjoy hand-carved pumpkins, giant illuminated Halloween displays, live carving, and photo opportunities.

The Pleasanton Downtown Association is also featuring Pumpkins on Main from Oct. 1-17, a downtown scavenger hunt in which families hunt for pumpkins at participating locations.

On Oct. 10, the Dublin Harvest Fair at the Dublin Heritage Park & Museums will feature a pumpkin patch for the first time. It also offers a petting zoo, face painting, games, gold panning, butter churning, crafts, and fall treats.

Next door, Dublin is also home to the famous Floating Pumpkin Patch at The Wave, where participants swim for their pumpkin and then decorate it. Click on the link to register.

How To Carve A Jack-o'-Lantern

Keep in mind that carving and baking pumpkins aren't the same. The former are grown in fields to be large, more vibrantly colored, and relatively hollow. The watery flesh doesn't have the same flavor as baking pumpkins, which tend to be smaller, have thicker, harder-to-carve walls and sweeter flesh. For those, you'll probably need to head to the grocery store.

Pumpkins for carving should appear sturdy and clean. Remember, this is the pumpkin that will be front and center on the porch for the Halloween season. Here are some tips for carving a perfect jack-o'-lantern from Warren Nash on YouTube, who shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

Pumpkin carving kits will go a long way in getting what you need. They typically include saws, a scooper, a drill and multiple patterns. If you're looking for the items individually around the house, here's what you could use:

• Curved boning knife, or serrated knife from the kitchen
• Ice cream scoop or scraper
• Paper
• Pencil or pen
• Candle or battery-operated light
• Lighter

Steps

1. Cut it: If cutting from the top of the pumpkin, make sure to do it on an inward angle, so the top won't drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on. Michael Natiello, creative director for The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze, said it's better to cut the pumpkin from the bottom, in a series of pumpkin carving tips from Good Housekeeping. That helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
2. Gut it: Use the ice cream scoop, or your hands, to remove all the seeds and other debris from inside the pumpkin. Do a thorough cleaning and make sure nothing is left sticking to the sides.
3. Trace it: Draw your design on a piece of paper before putting it on the pumpkin itself. That way, it is easier to trace the design onto the pumpkin.
4. Make the cuts: Cut out the design. Natiello said to use a fork or pencil to poke holes around the lines. When cutting, get the big pieces of pumpkin out first and clean up the edges later.
5. Light it: Light the pumpkin with a battery-operated light or candle in a holder, place it in the pumpkin, and step back and admire your work.