Herefordshire pumpkin patch faces one of the most 'challenging' years to date

It's as people join in with the annual Halloween celebrations such as pumpkin carving

Author: Elliot BurrowPublished 31st Oct 2024

A pumpkin farmer in Herefordshire says the weather has made it one of the most difficult seasons they've had yet getting everything ready ahead of this year's Halloween.

People across Herefordshire and Worcestershire will be among those joining in the annual celebrations later on which will be taking place throughout the UK.

Ed Godsall has been running a pumpkin patch named Pumpkin Pete's with his family for the last seven years near Ledbury, alongside their farm.

He says they have managed to set things set-up as usual, despite the amount of rainfall they've seen having a real impact.

"This year we found it probably to be one of the most challenging seasons to date, purely driven by the weather," he said.

"We had a good crop establishing and growing from when we started planting them back in May, but we found they took ages to colour up because like all of us, they like a bit of sun and warmth on them, and they didn't have that through the summer time.

"The other problem we had was slugs, because of the damp conditions we had a lot of them out there and they like to eat the pumpkins, then we had a few of the tops ending up rotten as they were just sitting in water, which they don't like, but have seemed to have done a lot of.

"When we first started it was mainly just orange pumpkins, but we now plant about 17 different varieties, and it's great to have seen that grow over the years and that people still want to come and stand in a muddy field and do it."

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have reminded people to stay safe this Halloween by wearing ‘fire-safer’ costumes and avoiding candles and naked flames.

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