Pumpkin Patches Near Tampa

TAMPA, FL — It’s that time of year again. Pumpkin products are popping up on shelves and the pumpkin spice latte is back on drink menus nationwide.

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 Tampa.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Tampa Bay Farmers Market, 10001 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa. Each year, this produce shop hosts an annual Halloween pumpkin patch.
• Kerby’s Nursery Pumpkin Patch in Seffner, 2311 S. Parsons Ave., Seffner, offers a variety of pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks and mums. It's open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Hyde Park Village Pumpkin Patch benefits the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. It is located near Pottery Barn at Hyde Park Village, 1602 W. Snow Circle, Tampa, and is open Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. through Oct. 26.
• Watermelon Swim’s Annual Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch at 19509 N. Dale Mabry Highway and 3703 W. McKay Ave. in Tampa is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
• Bearss Groves in Tampa, 14316 Lake Magdalene Blvd., Carrollwood, featuring Florida's largest pumpkin, weighing 969 pounds, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wesley Chapel Fall Festival at Tampa Premium Outlets, 2300 Grand Cypress Drive, Lutz. This full carnival has rides and games, more than 40 food trucks, entertainment, a fall pageant, a pet costume contest, a kids zone with inflatables, a trunk-or-treat area, and pumpkins. Cost is $10 for adults, while kids under 18 get in for free.
• St. Andrew’s UMC Brandon, 3315 Bryan Road, Brandon. This fundraiser supports the church’s youth ministry. The patch is open Monday through Friday, 4 to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Fox Squirrel Corn Maze, 6151 Varn Road, Plant City. Cost is $11 for adults 18 and older; $10 for children 3 to 17; kids 2 and under are free. Admission includes unlimited maze, hayride, games and more. Pumpkins will be for sale.
• Dave’s Christmas Tree Lot, 106 E. Lumsden Road, Brandon. Dave’s pumpkin patch is open from Oct. 1-31. In addition to pumpkins, stacked hay bales, gourds, corn stalks, garden mums and more are for sale. Pumpkins cost $3 and up. It will be open Monday through Friday, 1 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

And if your pumpkin is destined for a starring role on Halloween night, here's our guide to carving a perfect jack-o’-lantern. Warren Nash on YouTube also shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

Materials

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:

• Pumpkin. Unless you have a pumpkin-growing operation in the backyard, you'll need to pick out one you like from your local pumpkin patch or a store. Make sure it looks sturdy and clean. Remember, this is the pumpkin that will be front and center on the porch for the Halloween season.
• Curved boning knife, or serrated knife from the kitchen.
• Ice cream scooper 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 then admire your work.