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Halloween is just about here. Therefore, you probably want pumpkins. Maybe you want to make jack-o-lanterns. Perhaps you just want to do some last minute seasonal decorating. On the other hand, perhaps you have a hankering for pumpkin soup. Whatever the case may be, you want pumpkins. Moreover, you don\u2019t want to have to pay a lot of money for them. After all, it\u2019s already late in the season. Therefore, you\u2019re not going to have a lot of time to enjoy them. So, are there places to get free pumpkins?
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You can always find farms where it\u2019s free to go pick your own pumpkins. However, once you do the picking, you typically have to pay a nominal fee for the pumpkins themselves. That said, here are seven places to get free pumpkins. They\u2019re worth a try.<\/p>\n
As just mentioned, there are pumpkin patches where you can go pick your own pumpkins. I went to one a couple of weeks ago and the pickings were already really slim. So, by this time of the year, your local pumpkin patches might not have a lot to offer. That\u2019s not great news if you\u2019re excited about pumpkin picking. However, it might potentially be good news if you\u2019re looking for places to get free pumpkins.<\/p>\n
Find out what the last day is that those \u201cyou pick\u201d pumpkin patches are open to the public. Then head over there late in the day, when they\u2019re getting ready to wrap up. Ask to speak to the manager or head farmer or head cashier, etc. Let them know that you\u2019ve been struggling to find free pumpkins and wanted to see if you could strike a deal with them on what they have left. Oftentimes, they\u2019re happy to let you pick a few from the remaining pumpkins. At the very least, they\u2019ll usually give you a deal, if not outright free pumpkins.<\/p>\n
If you live in area with local farms, then you might want to check out what they have to offer. Of course, if you don\u2019t know your farmer neighbors, then this isn\u2019t always the best route to go. However, if you\u2019ve established a relationship with them over the years, then it doesn\u2019t hurt to ask if they have any extra pumpkins this year that they\u2019d be happy to get rid of.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the same deal at local farmers markets. Many of them are selling pumpkins and other gourds at this time of year. These are usually the best pumpkins if you actually want to consume the food. Hitting up a farmers market at the end of the day late in the season gives you the best chance of getting free pumpkins. Of course, you also want to be respectful of the fact that the farmers make their livings this way. So, perhaps you ask if you can get a deal on the pumpkins. Or maybe you ask if you can get free pumpkins after a purchase of a certain amount.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Okay, now we\u2019ve covered the places to get free pumpkins that may or may not work. It really just depends on the farmer and your relationship with them. So, what are some of your options. Well, check your local food banks. If you\u2019re in need of food, they\u2019re often a great resource. And yes, they do sometimes have pumpkins at this time of year.<\/p>\n
Moreover, many food banks do an annual pumpkin giveaway. Some give away a single or just a few pumpkins to one lucky family. Others have a big giveaway. Some do raffles. Others are first come first served. Check out what the options are in your local area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Many grocery stores offer pumpkin giveaways for Halloween. These are usually \u201center to win\u201d type of contests. Therefore, you won\u2019t know immediately whether or not you\u2019re able to get free pumpkins. But if you\u2019re just hoping that you might and don\u2019t have your heart set on having a free pumpkin for sure, then this can be a good approach.<\/p>\n
Communities, schools, and churches often offer free family Halloween events. These are sometimes great places to get free pumpkins.\u00a0 At a lot of these events, children and adults are typically allowed to get free pumpkins. Furthermore, they often offer free carving tools, prizes, beverages like coffee and hot chocolate and the like.\u00a0 So check your local city or county event calendar for options like this.<\/p>\n
I know that in my neighborhood people started getting their pumpkins really early this year. I think everyone was extra excited to start fall for some reason. Therefore, many families in the area have had their pumpkins on display for weeks already. Some of them are happy to get rid of a few if you ask. Again, this just really depends on the relationship you have with people. However, it\u2019s worth a try.<\/p>\n
In fact, even if you don\u2019t know someone directly with pumpkins to give to you, you can use social media to see if there are any local options. Check Facebook, NextDoor, and other similar sites. Heck, you might even get lucky under the Craigslist \u201cfree\u201d category. You can always post on social media and let people know that you\u2019re looking for places to get free pumpkins. Let them know you\u2019ll accept any donations of pumpkins. Moreover, share with them what you plan to do with the pumpkins. If they feel like you\u2019re going to get more joy and use out of them than they have been, then they might feel happy to send them your way.<\/p>\n