Pick your own pumpkins at Sunnyfields Farm is an experience! It has a reputation in Hampshire for throwing an annual pumpkin festival. Every year the team goes the extra mile to put on something special.
It’s nice to see that things haven’t changed in 2020. The team at Sunnyfields has really pulled out all the stops for a socially distanced pumpkin picking experience. Take a look…
Sunnyfields Farm
Jacobs Gutter Lane, Totton, Southampton, SO40 9FX
Sunnyfields Farm is right on the edge of the New Forest, close to Southampton.
It has a shop, is home to vegan restaurant Offbeet and regular seasonal events. The team there are always thinking up innovative ideas. It has really pulled out the stops this year to put on a safe pumpkin experience for everyone to enjoy.
I cannot wait to go back another time to the farm shop and to visit Offbeet. It looks very good, and I’m rather partial to a farm shop and local produce.
Events require pre-booking unless otherwise stated but the website is well prepared for this.
Booking
Booking was quick, easy and online. Time slots are clearly labelled in half hour intervals and how many spaces are remaining are shown at each time.
The site is open from 9am to 9pm, and 7-7.30pm is the last arrival slot you can book. I decided to go for 5.30-6pm so I could catch golden hour, the sunset and twilight. I am so glad I did this because I could see it in the day time and at night – and both are brilliant!
Tickets in 2020 are £2 and include parking, a clean wheelbarrow and access to the patch. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome too so, ‘little fluff’ also affectionately known as ‘doggle’, my newly inherited dog came with us.
The Experience
Once you’ve booked your slot there’s a lot to look forward to. Wellington boots are worth wearing but there’s plenty of track and pumpkins to look at if you don’t want to go into the field.
Mr Bright Lights Big City and I met some friends before we went in, showed our ticket at the entrance and grabbed a very clean wheelbarrow.
Once you’re in, you walk down a track, which allows you to keep a good distance from other people arriving. At the end you are greeted by the most wonderful sight…
…a giant pyramid pumpkin display!
There’s a circular track all the way around the pyramid, with absolutely tons of different varieties of pumpkins. I call it the ‘Pumpkin Halo’.
To the right you have a hanging pumpkin greenhouse which you can walk through and is pretty at night when it’s lit up. This takes you down to the field, so you can get among the pumpkins in the patch.
On the left you have the path that leads to the marquee, which is absolutely full of crates of different pumpkin varieties. And, I believe there’s also some giant pumpkins now on display there too which I think were put in after my visit.
There are so many different varieties that it does seriously conjure up an out loud ‘oh look at this one’, ‘wait, look at this one’ and ‘OMG this one has wobbly knobbly bits!’. Pumpkin lovers, you’re going to want to hit this up.
I couldn’t resist this one that looks like a warty pear…
Pumpkins are priced on size unless labelled differently. I picked up some beautiful quirky looking ones for a pound each from the marquee.
What to take
Other than you, your family and your pooch, you might want to consider taking…
- Your face mask and hand sanitiser – a 2020 essential
- Something to put down in the boot of your car so it doesn’t get muddy
- Wellington boots – useful but not essential, it’s all track except for the field, the entrance is a little muddy too
- An umbrella – it’s outside with plenty of marquees for cover but one might be handy
- A phone/camera – for all those autumnal, Halloween selfies
Pick Your Own Pumpkins
I’m so impressed with Pick Your Own Pumpkins at Sunnyfields Farm. A serious amount of thought, time and effort has gone into the display, the different varieties and making sure it is organised, clean and socially distanced.
It was so well organised that any anxiety I had surrounding going soon disappeared. And, for this I am very thankful, a little slice of normality was just what I needed.
If you’re looking for a great pumpkin picking experience in Hampshire, Sunnyfields has got to be on your list.
Visit the Sunnyfields Farm website
Have you got your pumpkins yet? Let me know if you’ve been, want to visit and your thoughts in the comments section below.
If you liked this, take a look at these other great places to visit in Hampshire and things to do this Autumn…
- A GUIDE TO PUMPKIN PICKING IN HAMPSHIRE
- 5 HAMPSHIRE HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCES IN 2020
- 5 SPOOKY PLACES TO VISIT IN HAMPSHIRE
- HOW TO MAKE FOLIAGE PUMPKINS FOR HALLOWEEN
- THE A TO Z OF THINGS TO DO IN HAMPSHIRE
- CONJURING UP THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT WITH M&S
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