Best Pumpkin Patches Near Secaucus

SECAUCUS, NJ — 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 Secaucus:

Here are a few suggestions:

• Demarest Farms: A longtime favorite in Bergen County: Pick your own apples, peaches and pumpkins. For COVID safety, they are offering private hayrides. Also tour their Haunted Orchard in October. https://demarestfarms.com/ 244 Wierimus Rd., Hillsdale, NJ 07642 201-666-0472
• Fairfield Farms https://www.fairfieldfarms.net...

177 Big Piece Rd, Fairfield, NJ 07004

Open daily 'till 5:30 p.m.
Activities offered this year…

• Hayrides
• Rock and Roll (human hamster ride)
• Pumpkin Picking
• Rope Maze

• Corn Maze
• Pumpkin Slingshot
• Big Bale Mountain of Fun
• Farm Animals (feeding station)

Phone: (973) 227-1011

• Brookhollow's Barnyard 301 Rockaway Valley Rd Boonton, NJ 07005 https://www.brookhollowsbarnya...

(201) 400-4505

• Heavenly Hill Farms

451 NJ-94, Vernon Township, NJ 07462

Open daily 'till 6 p.m.
It's worth the drive into North Jersey bear country to check out their always-popular Fall Harvest Festival. The Heavenly Hill Fall Harvest Fest includes:

• Tractor Hay Ride through Fields (weekend 10am – 5pm; weekdays 12pm – 5pm)
• Western-Themed Corn Maze
• Hay Maze!
• Barnyard Sports Ball-Cade
• Hay Crawl
• Visiting Farm Animals
• Boo Barn!
• Chicken Little Show
• Dancing Robot Show
• Vortex Tunnel
• Obstacle Course
• Pedal Cars
• Touring Cars
• Skee-Ball
• Giant Straw Bale Pyramid
• Post Pounder
• Duck Race
• Bee Barn and so much MORE!

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.