Tricks and Treats: October Half-Term at Hitchin Lavender

Hitchin Lavender’s pumpkin patch is now officially open! We were delighted to see so many happy faces exploring our spooktastic set-up over the weekend, and we have much more to see over the next week and a half! Remember that the pumpkin patch is open throughout the half-term holiday, until 29 October!

Meet the Crew

There’s nothing quite like a good pumpkin carving session, is there? Scooping out all those slippery seeds, carefully carving your fiend’s features, and, for the most sculpturally minded, peeling back the pumpkin’s skin to leave space for that beautiful translucent glow. It’s an activity that brings out the artist in everyone regardless of age. Alongside crisp bright mornings, countryside hues of orange and gold, and increasing consumption of hot beverages, pumpkin carving is a sure sign that the new season is well underway.

Although you can’t beat a classic orange pumpkin for a superb Jack-o’-lantern, it’s easy to forget that there are a great variety of winter squashes, which come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and colours. On the Hitchin Lavender pumpkin patch, we have over 10 species, from tiny munchkins to colossal ghosts. It’s great fun picking out your own pumpkin as a family, but why not assemble a team of squash-species to make a spectacular Halloween display?

Halloween pumpkins should, of course, not just be prompts for our artistic impulses, but also for our culinary ones. Many of our squashes work very well when baked into cakes, blitzed into soups, or simply roasted as a sumptuous side dish. Slices of Crown Prince or Onion squashes, roasted with a little oil and some seasoning, make for a superb addition to any meal. You can even eat the skin to save on preparation time! Or, to add a little theatre to a midweek meal, try stuffing a Munchkin pumpkin with rice, grains, and other wholesome delights.

BBC good food has, as ever, some excellent recipe ideas for all of the above!

Spooky season continues…

Since the pumpkin patch opened last week, Hitchin Lavender has played host to a number of creepy characters. They might look a little spooky, but they seem to be doing a great job of keeping real ghouls and spirits away; the vibes are all good here in Ickleford!

Our Halloween makeover will be in place until the end of October, so don’t miss your chance to come and see it! Our Lavender Barn, including the tearoom, play area, and museum, remains open and free to visit. For your pumpkin-patch expedition, make sure to book your entry tickets via our Ticketsource page.

Hope to see you soon!