Hastings area youngsters Harry and Erin are proud of their amazing Halloween pumpkin crop

Two youngsters from a local farm have grown a bumper crop of pumpkins for Halloween.
Local Pumpkins 1 SUS-181210-090719001Local Pumpkins 1 SUS-181210-090719001
Local Pumpkins 1 SUS-181210-090719001

Harry, aged nine, and Erin five, help out at Valley View, a small free-range farm between Hastings and Westfield.

Dad Nathan explained: “We sell chickens, eggs and Christmas turkeys, our children play a big part in looking after the animals, feeding, cleaning and putting them away every night

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This is something we really encourage to keep them enjoying the outside life and also learning how things grow and produce both food and an income for us

“This year we decided as a project to give them their own plot of land to grow their own pumpkins for Halloween.

“At the beginning of May we cleared the land as a family and planted seeds from last years pumpkins on May 7.

“The children watched with such attention hoping for something to happen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Then on May 24 we saw the very smallest leaf emerge. Full of excitement they have stuck with it and tended to these, giving them gallons of water over the summer months.

“By the end of July they had pumpkins sprouting up across their patch and these have grown into the football sized fruit you can see here.

“Now they are eagerly awaiting the end of October to open up their very own pop up pumpkin stall at the farm.

“One of the pumpkins also made a welcome addition to Westfield school’s recent harvest festival.

“We are very proud of what the children have achieved and hope they will be inspired to grow more next year.”

Related topics: