Pick A Pumpkin At These Patches In And Near Lakeland

LAKELAND, FL — Signs of fall are everywhere, from cooler nights to pumpkin spice lattes and a sea of orange pumpkins in front of the grocery store.

But maybe you want the real deal — an actual pumpkin — in your home this season. Whether you’re planning to bake a pie, 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 Lakeland.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Harvest Holler Pumpkin Patch at 950 Tavares Road, Polk City, is now open and will continue through Nov. 12. The working farm features a large choice of pumpkins to purchase, hayrides, farm animals, a corn maze, a cow barrel train, a hay mountain climb, tire swings, miniature golf, the Big Frank-n-Slide, corn hole games, food and drinks and other activities. The cost is $15 for ages 13 to 64, $12 for ages 2 to 12, with special discounts for seniors over 65 and active-duty military. Hours are Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Click here.
• Springtime Farm, 18150 Commonwealth Ave. N., Polk City, will host its second annual Fall Pumpkin Patch and Haunted Walk on its 40-acre farm through Oct. 29 on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It includes a petting farm with more than 200 animals to touch and feed, a pumpkin patch with one free pumpkin per family, 70-foot jumping pillows, inflatable slides, a bounce house, a sand pit, barnyard ball zone, bubble-making stations, live music, spider swings, a playground, corn hole games, rubber duck races, steer roping, a haunted trail, a scavenger hunt, pedal karts, food trucks and a bird aviary. The cost is $14 per person for all-day passes. kids ages 2 years old and younger are admitted for free and senior, military and those who mention the Facebook special to the cashier will receive $2 off.
• St. John's United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch at 1800 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven will host its pumpkin patch Monday through Friday from 1 to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
• Shepherd's Community United Methodist Church, 6885 Chelsea Oaks Drive, Lakeland, will host a Pumpkin Patch Monday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Click here.

Don't forget to check out the pumpkins at your local farmers markets and produce stands:

• Produce 863, 6512 U.S. Highway 98 N., Lakeland. Every season, this produce stand sets up a pumpkin patch.
• Walker’s Produce, 6320 U.S. Highway 98 S., Lakeland. This produce shop sets up a pumpkin patch each Halloween season.

If you know of a pumpkin patch, email the details to dann.white@patch.com.