AMBLE your way through a trail populated with wicked witches, spooky scarecrows and creepy cobwebs and settle on the perfect pumpkin to carve this Hallowe’en.
Clearwell Farm, just outside Bassaleg, is hosting its first pumpkin patch this year. But, far from being a quagmire of knee-high mud, it offers an ideal way to spend an afternoon.
“It’s nice for little children, they get all excited and you hear them running around the trail, shouting ‘mummy, this one!’,” said Julie Phillips, who runs the farm with husband David.
Mila Allmark, four, and Melissa Arlett in the pumpkin patch at Clearwell Farm. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk
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“You come along and we give you a wheelbarrow and you can choose which pumpkins you want.
“The witches and scarecrows aren’t scary, because it’s for little ones, it’s just a bit of fun.
“You can pick up a pumpkin from any supermarket, but this is more of an experience.”
Oliver Fleming, one, in the pumpkin patch at Clearwell Farm. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk
Prices start from £1, with “Cinderella-sized pumpkins” costing £20, Mrs Phillips said.
There are also “ghost” pumpkins, which are completely white.
All the pumpkins – around 300 in total – are bought from a nearby farm in Machen.
“The carbon footprint is very small, and it is all local, all Welsh,” said Mrs Phillips.
Scarecrow David Phillips in the pumpkin patch at Clearwell Farm. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk
Families will typically spend around half-an-hour and a full wheelbarrow, including four or five pumpkins, normally costs around £10, said Mr Phillips.
“The farm is 108 years old, and we have had to diversify, but this is all about having a bit of fun,” he added.
Scarecrow David Phillips in the pumpkin patch at Clearwell Farm. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk
“We have around 17,000 Christmas trees too, so we will see if the pumpkin patch is popular and next year we will grow our own.”
The patch is open from midday to 4pm all week, and they accept both card and cash.
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