7 Places to Find Free Pumpkins

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Halloween is almost here. So, you probably want pumpkins. Maybe you want to make jack-o-lanterns. Maybe you want to do some last-minute seasonal decorating. On the other hand, maybe you have a hankering for pumpkin soup. Either way, you want pumpkins. Plus, you don't want to pay them a lot of money. After all, the season is over. Therefore, you will not have much time to enjoy yourself. So, are there places to get free pumpkins?

7 Places to Find Free Pumpkins

You can always find farms where it is free to pick your own pumpkins. However, once you choose, you usually have to pay a small fee for the pumpkins themselves. That said, here are seven places to find pumpkins for free. They are worth a try.

1. Pick Farms on Their Last Day

As mentioned, there are pumpkin patches where you can go and pick your own pumpkins. I went to one a few weeks ago and the selection was very limited. So, at this time of year, local pumpkin patches may not have much to offer. That's not good news if you're excited about picking a pumpkin. However, it may be good news if you are looking for places to find free pumpkins.

Find out the last day those “picking” pumpkins are open to the public. Then they move on when it's late, when they're getting ready to wrap up. Ask to speak to the manager or the head farmer or the finance manager, etc. Let them know that you have been struggling to find free pumpkins and wanted to see if you could make a deal with them for what they have left. Most of the time, they are happy to let you pick a few from the remaining pumpkins. At the very least, they'll usually give you a deal, if not free pumpkins.

2. Local Farms Don't Have “Preferences”

If you live in an area with local farms, you may want to check out what they have to offer. Of course, if you don't know your farming neighbors, then this is not the best route to take. However, if you have developed a relationship with them over the years, it doesn't hurt to ask if they have any extra pumpkins this year that they would be happy to finish.

3. Farmers' Markets

It's the same deal at local farmers markets. Many of them are selling pumpkins and other things at this time of the year. These are usually the best pumpkins if you really want to eat food. Finding a farmer's market at the end of the day towards the end of the season gives you the best chance of finding pumpkins for free. Yes, you also want to respect the fact that farmers live this way. So, you're probably wondering if you can get a deal on pumpkins. Or maybe you're asking if you can get free pumpkins after you buy a certain amount.

4. Food Banks

Okay, now we've rounded up places to find free pumpkins that may or may not work. It really depends on the farmer and your relationship with him. So, what are some of your options. Well, check out your local food banks. If you need food, it's usually a great resource. And yes, they sometimes have pumpkins this time of year.

In addition, many food banks hold an annual pumpkin donation. Some donate one or more pumpkins to one lucky family. Some are very gifted. Some hold raffles. Others are first come first served. Check what options are available in your area.

5. Grocery Store Pumpkin Giveaways

Many grocery stores offer pumpkin gifts for Halloween. These are often “enter to win” type of contests. So, you won't know right away if you can get pumpkins for free or not. But if you're hoping it's possible and you don't have your heart set on having a free pumpkin for sure, then this could be a good option.

6. Halloween Events for Kids and Family

Communities, schools, and churches often offer free family Halloween events. These are sometimes good places to find free pumpkins. At many of these events, children and adults are often allowed to get pumpkins for free. In addition, they often give away free carving tools, prizes, drinks like coffee and hot chocolate and the like. So check your local city or state event calendar for options like these.

7. Ask Your Friends, Family and Neighbors

I know that in our area people started getting their pumpkins at the beginning of the year. I think everyone was very excited to start the fall for some reason. Therefore, many families in the area have had their pumpkins for weeks. Some of them are happy to finish a few if you ask. Again, this really depends on the relationships you have with people. However, it is worth a try.

In fact, even if you don't know anyone who has pumpkins to offer, you can use social media to see if there are local options. Check out Facebook, NextDoor, and other similar sites. Heck, you might have luck under the “free” section of Craigslist. You can always post on social media and let people know that you are looking for places to get free pumpkins. Let them know that you will accept any donations of pumpkins. Also, share with them what you plan to do with the pumpkins. If they feel that you will get more pleasure and use from them than they have been, they can feel good about sending them your way.