Why Mr Pumpkin Deserves a Spot on Your Family’s 2026 Autumn Bucket List

Written by Jess - First time mum, Co-owner & Director

If your usual Halloween routine involves frantically grabbing a sad, bruised supermarket pumpkin three days before October 31st, consider this your sign to upgrade.

Tucked away at Lime Farm in Morley, Derbyshire, Mr Pumpkin has evolved from a humble farm patch into an absolute seasonal institution. Having visited last year, it was already high on our family ’ s list of autumn highlights—but judging by their latest updates, 2026 is set to be their most impressive season yet.

For our family, it isn’t just about picking pumpkins — it' s about starting a lasting tradition with our son, Flynn.

One of the standout highlights at Lime Farm is the sheer effort put into their seasonal photo ops. Dotted around the farm, you ’ll find giant hay-bale stacks, vintage tractors, oversized pumpkin displays, and themed prop frames. We’ve decided to make it a yearly milestone: taking Flynn ’ s picture in front of the same wooden photo spots every autumn to measure how much he ’ s grown against the pumpkins.

Beyond the photos, the farm is packed with family entertainment:

• The Pumpkin Trail: A fun, family-friendly perimeter walk filled with clues for kids to solve, with all donations supporting the local Air Ambulance.

• Attractions & Rides: Classic children ’ s teacup rides, bouncy castles, bungee trampolines, a hay bale slide, and Sheldon the Snail keep little ones energized.

• Local Bites: Hot food stalls from regional favorites like Oakfield Farm serve up wood-fired food, spiced hot drinks, and sweet treats.

Book your 2026 pumpkin picking tickets here https://www.mrpumpkin.co.uk/

When you do venture onto the fields, the scale is unmatched. For 2026, the farm has planted nearly 90,000 pumpkins across over 50 different varieties. We aren 't just talking about classic orange carvers - expect ghostly white pumpkins, warty " ugly " gourds, miniature munchkins, and star-shaped varieties. Handing Flynn a wheelbarrow and letting him hunt through the field for "the one " is pure, low-tech joy.

With ticketed entry keeping overcrowding managed and prices kept low, Mr Pumpkin delivers an authentic, fresh-air family experience without feeling commercialised.

If you’ve never been, or if you ' re looking to start a new family tradition of your own — set a reminder for ticket sales, grab your wellies, and make it the anchor event of your autumn calendar.

My Pumpkin Patch Top Tips & Packing Checklist

🧥 What to Wear

• Wellies or waterproof boots

• Warm layers + waterproof coat

• Gardening gloves (prevents prickly vine scratches)

🎒 Backpack Essentials

• Wet wipes & sanitiser

• Snacks & water

• Spare clothes for the kids

🚗 In the Car Boot

• IKEA bags/liners (keeps mud off the boot & emptying the boot a lot more bare able at home!)

• Clean shoes to drive home in

• Old towel (to wipe down pumpkins)

💡 Quick Pro-Tips

• Morning slots are best: Less busy, fresher fields, and shorter queues for photo ops.

• Lift from the bottom: Never carry pumpkins by the stem—they snap easily and spoil faster.

• Tag-team wheelbarrows: Let kids push them empty, but take over once loaded up!