4th Annual Pumpkin Smash Returning To English Farm In Basking Ridge

LIBERTY CORNER, NJ — Bernards Township Agricultural Advisory Committee is hosting its Fourth Annual Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at English Farm at 3625 Valley Road, Liberty Corner in Bernards Township.

The community is invited to bring their old Halloween pumpkins to safely smash and throw out in an environmentally friendly way. No registration is required.

Residents are invited to bring their pumpkins to English Farm on Nov. 2 or earlier that week while the farm is open. There is no limit on the number of pumpkins you can bring to this event.

Pumpkins can be carved or whole, but please remove any non-biodegradable materials, such as candles, stickers, googly eyes and plastics prior to the event.

"The event is great family fun, and the pumpkins are used as feed for the chickens and the pigs. It's a win-win," said Tyler Seville, member of the Bernards Township Agricultural Advisory Committee.

The Pumpkin Smash is open to all ages and once a participant smashes their pumpkin, they are then able to feed it to the farm animals on site. Volunteers will also be on hand to monitor safety.

Each year, the township's Pumpkin Smash smashes more than 250 pumpkins that would have otherwise ended up as non-recycled waste. While biodegradable, most of the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins produced in the U.S. end up in a landfill, according to the US Department of Energy.

"We are excited to continue to support this event," said Alice Smyk, chair of the Bernard Township Environmental Commission. "It's important to keep our pumpkins out of landfills, so to avoid greenhouse gas emissions."

Attendees are not required to bring a pumpkin, but still welcome to smash those pumpkins already at the farm.

The Bernards Township Agricultural Advisory Committee is responsible for promoting and preserving agriculture as a viable economic activity within Bernards Township and enabling agricultural enterprises to continue to contribute to the quality of life in the community. For more, visit bernards.org/boards/agricultural-advisory-board.

The Bernards Township Environmental Commission is responsible for ensuring that environmental issues in Bernards Township are given the right priority in order to protect and preserve natural resources of the town and surrounding areas including: land, water, air, and bios. For more, visit bernards.org/boards/environmental.

The English Farm is a historic family farm that has been producing diversified agricultural products for over 275 years. Committed to maintaining good stewardship of the land, the farm follows sustainable farming practices, and operating a viable agricultural business. For more, visit englishfarm.org.