Where To Pick Pumpkins In GA This Fall — And How To Carve It

Heading out to a patch or field around Georgia 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.

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 around Georgia.

Here are a few of our favorites:

• Berry Patch Farms: 786 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock, GA 30188 — Pumpkins, hayrides, farm animals, apple cider and homemade pies.
• Big Springs Farms: 2100 Sugar Pike Road, Woodstock, GA 30188 — Pumpkin patch, hayrides, children's activities, face painting and inflatables.
• Buford Corn Maze: 4470 Bennett Road, Buford, GA 30519 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayrides, children's play areas and nighttime haunted attractions.
• Burt's Pumpkin Farm: 5 Burts Pumpkin Farm Road, Dawsonville, GA 30534 — Pumpkins, fall decorations, hayrides and a drive-through giant pumpkin attraction.
• Copper Creek Farm: 1514 Reeves Station Road SW, Calhoun, GA 30701 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayrides, pig races, children's attractions and select nighttime activities.
• Dickey Farms: 3440 Musella Road, Musella, GA 31066 — Pumpkins, corn cannons, gemstone mining and farm market.
• Jaemor Farms: 5340 Cornelia Highway, Alto, GA 30510 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin train, farm slides and apple cannons.
• Kinsey Family Farm: 7170 Jot Em Down Road, Gainesville, GA 30506 — Traditional and specialty pumpkins, farm animals and picnic areas.
• Lazy Creek Farms: 2392 Old Summerville Road NE, Rome, GA 30165 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayrides and children's activities.
• Poppell Farms: 1765 Hyma Poppell Loop, Odum, GA 31555 — Hayrides to the pumpkin patch, corn maze and numerous farm attractions.
• Pumpkins at Callaway Resort & Gardens: 17617 U.S. 27, Pine Mountain, GA 31822 — Illuminated pumpkins, entertainment, themed food and nighttime fall activities.
• Randy's Pumpkin Patch: 1460 Lawrenceville Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30044 — Pumpkins, inflatables, train rides, petting zoo and children's attractions.
• Rocky Hollow Patch: 336 Rocky Hollow Road SW, Cave Spring, GA 30124 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, zip lines, jumping pillow and children's activities.
• Skitts Mountain Farms: 7883 GA-254, Cleveland, GA 30528 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, wagon rides, mini golf, jumping pillows, slides and games.
• Sleepy Hollow Farm: 628 Sleepy Hollow Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127 — Pumpkins, corn maze, tractor rides, farm animals and children's activities.
• Smith Farms Pumpkin Patch: 7272 Bowersville Highway, Bowersville, GA 30516 — Traditional pumpkin-picking experience featuring a variety of pumpkins.
• Southern Belle Farm: 1658 Turner Church Road, McDonough, GA 30252 — Pumpkin patch, 4-acre corn maze, pig races and more than 30 farm attractions.
• Steed's Dairy: 4634 Wrightsboro Road, Grovetown, GA 30813 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, hayrides, petting zoo, jumping pillows and children's activities.
• Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch: 125 Bannister Road, Dawsonville, GA 30534 — 15-acre corn maze, pumpkins, wagon rides, jumping pillow, tire mountain, gem mining and kids maze.
• Warbington Farms: 5555 Crow Road, Cumming, GA 30041 — Pumpkin patch, corn maze, petting zoo and farm fun park.
• Wargo's Pumpkin Patch: Johnson Road, Grantville, GA 30220 — Pumpkins, corn maze, tractor rides, animals, flowers and other fall activities.
• Washington Farms: 5691 Hog Mountain Road, Bogart, GA 30622 — Pumpkin patch, 6.5-acre corn maze, flowers, pig races and dozens of family activities.

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.