Salcombe Crabfest 2024: All You Need to Know
Salcombe’s crab fishing industry is coming out of its shell from 10am on Sunday 5th May to celebrate Crabfest...
by Maria Makepeace / Events
As autumn’s golden hues emerge, so does the South Devon Pumpkin Patch at family-run Terawhiti Farm in South Milton. This renowned event, famous locally, beckons visitors from near and far. With 25 pumpkin varieties, the Pumpkin Express train, face painting, local cuisine, and more, it’s an autumn adventure for all ages.
Don’t miss this opportunity to create fun-filled memories this autumn. Discover all the details in our exclusive Q&A with the family behind this fantastic event.
We are the fourth generation farming at Terawhiti Farm, and my son will soon be the fifth, so we have been here for a while! Throughout the generations, we have always grown winter vegetables, primarily and initially cauliflowers. However, since we took the reins, we have started to grow a wider range of vegetables, including broccoli, tenderstem, sprouts, various cabbages and kales, and celeriac, to name just a few.
Years ago, there used to be many small vegetable farmers in the South Hams, but now we are down to just two or three. Nevertheless, the demand for good quality, fresh, and locally sourced vegetables is at an all-time high, and people are slowly realising that importing produce is not the answer.
Although we do sell our vegetables directly to local shops, the majority is sold to local wholesalers who distribute them to a wider range of shops and eateries within South Devon.
We initially began growing a handful of pumpkins fourteen years ago, just for fun for our children, using the cow dung pile! The following year, we decided to grow a few more and offered them to our existing wholesale vegetable market. They were very popular; no one in the area was doing it. So, the next year, we decided to expand and planted many more.
Slowly, year after year, we increased the size of our patch until one year, a friend of ours suggested that we open it up to the public because there wasn’t one in the area. Thus, in 2017, the South Devon Pumpkin Patch was born.
Every year, the patch has grown bigger and more popular, and we have been making efforts to create a fun and affordable day out for all families.
The event will take place on the following selected dates in October, between 10am and 4pm:
No booking or entry fee required, just turn up! However, we recommend packing some wellies and a bag for the boot of your car.
Pumpkins start at 50p for the mini ones. We have a line of pumpkins which customers can see before they choose their own pumpkin, with a price next to each size, so they can clearly see how much a particular sized pumpkin is before they choose anything.
There will be heaps of free parking in the field.
No tools required!
You can purchase the pumpkins directly from our Veg Shed on the farm if you happen to miss the event at weekends.
After our pumpkin patch weekends are over, we also sell any surplus pumpkins to our existing wholesale vegetable market, ensuring that nothing goes to waste.
Our most popular activities at the pumpkin patch are the Pumpkin Express train ride and our huge Bale Run.
We also have face painting, a coconut shy, the Big Striker, bouncy castle, nerf gun target shooting and food and bar courtesy of The Rock Box.
We cultivate approximately 25 different varieties of pumpkins, including large ones, small ones, warty ones, white ones, stripy ones, munchkins, and more.
There are two ways to grow pumpkins:
We opt for the latter method because it provides the plant with a better start in case of adverse weather, such as excessive rainfall or dry weather.
In May, we sow about 25,000 potential plants, all by hand, into module trays within our greenhouse. After approximately four to five weeks, they are ready for transplanting into the patch. We accomplish this task using our vegetable planter, aided by two volunteers and a tractor. Each plant will produce from one to five pumpkins depending on the variety.
Within a few weeks, we then need to go through the patch with a “scuffle,” which removes weeds and aerates the soil. With a combination of sunshine and rain, the pumpkins thrive until September when the plants begin to die back, revealing the fruit that’s ready for harvesting in October.
The traditional large orange pumpkins are the easiest for carving. The smaller munchkin varieties are better for eating.
One thing we have discovered from the South Devon Pumpkin Patch is that everyone likes something different. Some people love the huge monster pumpkins, others want to find the teeniest tiniest pumpkin in the patch. Some people love the ugly warty ones and others like the pure white ones. And of course, there’s always someone who wants the misshapen or green pumpkin which would have been rejected by everyone else – there’s something for everyone!
Planning a visit to South Devon Pumpkin Patch? View our collection of holiday cottages in South Milton and Thurlestone including family friendly properties located near the beach and spanning sea views. Alternatively, discover our self-catering properties throughout South Devon.
by Maria Makepeace / Events
I love the South West and ensuring visitors to the region have the best experience possible. That's why I love sharing local tips ...
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