October is here and that means it’s pumpkin season! I love going pumpkin picking, but most of all, I love to eat and drink anything pumpkin-flavored. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin beer, pumpkin ravioli…You name it. If it’s made with pumpkin, I’m in love.
Here’s where to get your local pumpkin foodie fix:
Go enjoy a Pumpkin beer flight at Cloverleaf Tavern (395 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell): Schlafly Pumpkin, Dogfish Punkin, Southern Tier Pumking and Southern Tier Warlock are on tap.
Get a Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcake at The Little Daisy Bake Shop (622 Valley Road, Montclair)
The Pie Store (100 Watchung Avenue, Montclair) is serving up its Brandied Pumpkin Pies for the season.
Get a Pumpkin Spice Shake delivered from Cars Montclair (150 Valley Road, Montclair)
Montclair Bread Company (113 Walnut Street, Montclair) is frying up this Shipyard Brewing Company Pumpkin Ale Glazed Pretzel Doughnuts, as well as Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts all month.
Cakeaholic Obsession (324 Orange Road, Monclair) has Pumpkin Spice cupcakes on its October menu.
Shanghai 46 (14 US Highway 46 East, Fairfield) serves up Fried Pumpkin with Salted Egg Yolk.
One of the “Dirt” desserts for October at The Orange Squirrel (412 Bloomfield Avenue) is the Jack-O-Lantern—Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse layered with a chocolate spice crumb.
Want to pick your own pumpkin? There are many pick your own farms in New Jersey:
Demarest Farms
244 Wierimus Road, Hillsdale, NJ
201.666.0472
Hours: 10 am – 4:30 pm
Cost: $5 per person for hayride. Kids under 2 get a free hayride. $8 per pumpkin
Alstede Farms
84 County Route 513 (old route 24), Chester, NJ
908.879.7189
Hours: 8 am – 7 pm
Horse Sleigh Farms
438 Route 57 W, Washington Township, NJ
908.246.3044
Hours: Closed on Monday, Tuesday-Thursday 11 am – 5 pm, Friday – Sunday 11 am – 11 pm
Terhune Orchards
330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ
609.924.2310
Hours: Fall Family Fun Weekends – Saturday & Sundays, September 21 – October 27, 10 am – 5 pm
65 River Road., Montville, NJ
973.400.9460
Hours: Open daily from 10 am – 6 pm
Donaldson Farms
358 Allen Road, Hackettstown, NJ
908.852.9122
Hours: 12 pm – 5 pm daily
Heaven Hill Farm
451 Route 94, Vernon, NJ
973.764.5155
Hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 10 am – 5 pm / Saturdays and Sundays: 10 am – 6 pm
Fairfield Farms
177 Big Piece Road, Fairfield, NJ
973.227.1011
Hours: 10 am – 5:30 pm
Sussex County Strawberry Farm
565 Route 206 North, Andover, NJ
973.579.5055
Hours: Opens for pumpkin picking the first weekend in October
Farm View
945 Black Oak Ridge Road, Wayne, NJ
973.839.1212
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, Sunday 10 am – 5 pm
Melick’s Town Farm
170 Oldwick Road, Oldwick, NJ
908.439.2318
Take a horse drawn wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch where you can select your own pumpkins still growing on the vine.
Hours: 9 am – 6 pm
Ward’s Pumpkin Patch
553 Route 17, Ridgewood, NJ
Kids can take a barrel ride around to get pumpkins
Hours: 10 am – sunset
Sun High Orchard
19 Canfield Avenue, Randolph, NJ
973.584.4734
Hours: 9 am – 6 pm
Battleview Orchards
91 Wemrock Road, Freehold, NJ
732.462.0756
Hours: 9 am – 6 pm
Cost: Contact for current pricing.
Riamede Farm
122 Oakdale Road, Chester, NJ
908.879.5353
Hours: 9 am – 4:30 pm
You get to cut your pumpkin off the vine and need to bring your own shears.
Ripple Hill Farm
181 Mountain Road, Basking Ridge, NJ
908.647-1300
Hours: Sundays from 12 pm – 4 pm
Abma’s Farm Market and Greenhouse
700 Lawlins Road, Wyckoff, NJ
201.891.0278
Hours: Monday – Friday 8 – 6, Saturday 8 – 5:30, Closed Sundays
Duffield’s Farm
280 Chapel Heights Road, Sewell, NJ
856.589.7090
Monday – Saturday from 9 am – 7 pm
(Pumpkins photo: Flickr)