The Kemps are fourth generation farmers, running two units in Horsforth, Leeds and Malton by husband Rory and wife Diane and two sons, Joe and William. The farm has diversified over the years from just dairy, to arable, cattle and free-range turkeys.
The family, who are Malton NFU members, were early pick-your-own adopters having grown soft fruit as PYO for over 40 years.
Rory’s son Joe decided to introduce pumpkin picking in 2018. He said: “We have a great location for it at our farm in Leeds, and our pumpkin picking events are very popular with the public.
“For me it is great to get the public out on farm to learn about where their food comes from.
“The pumpkins that are left over here are eaten by the livestock – it is all very much part of the rotation here.”
A good pumpkin harvest
The NFU said the driest spring in more than 100 years meant it was a tough growing season for many across the country this year, but growers have continued to work hard to ensure plentiful supplies of pumpkins in the run up to Halloween.
Joe said: “We have had a good pumpkin harvest this year.
“The dry spring did cause some concerns but fortunately we had some scattered showers every week for four weeks and some heavy rain in mid-August.
“We had plenty of pumpkins of all shapes, colours and sizes here and it was great to chat to people about food and farming.”
Many farms across the county welcomed thousands of visitors this autumn looking to pick pumpkins and other regional produce.
An entry point into agrotourism
NFU York East County Adviser Poppy Smith said pick-your-own ventures on farms across the county and beyond offered families an affordable and wholesome day out in the great outdoors.
She said: “They’re great fun for all and are also great for families to learn where their food comes from.
“Pumpkin patches can also offer farm businesses an entry point into agrotourism as a fairly low risk way to test diversification projects, requiring relatively modest capital compared to other ventures.
“Additional revenue streams often come from food and drink stalls, tractor rides or further Halloween-themed events, with the October half-term break offering a timely boost.”