We sizzled in the summer – and now meet the plumpkins
THE blazing summer has been toasting people up and down the country – but it has been of particular interest to one West Lancs pumpkin farmer.
James Houghton, 47, is a mushroom farmer from Scarisbrick who also specialises in growing giant pumpkins on his Heatons Bridge Road patch.
With Hallowe’en round the corner, Mr Houghton is preparing to open up his patch at Bungalow Farm for customers to buy their decorations. Mr Houghton said: “We specialise in pumpkins all shapes all sizes but our specialty is giant pumpkins.
“We believe there is only us year after year growing the larger stuff.
“Due to the size of these monster pumpkins, pick your own isn’t advised – but we have a great team here to support!”
Mr Houghton has been growing pumpkins for 30 years, after being handed a pumpkin seed by a relative sparked an interest in his young mind.
He said: “I’ve done 30 years growing pumpkins, now my son Harry, who’s 10, likes to grow and plant.
“We have special Atlantic Giant pumpkins and this year they’re bigger and better than before.
“Atlantic Giants are American/Canadian, and they like warmer summers.
“As a result of the warm summer we’ve enjoyed, they really are bigger and better this year. We have all sorts of different shapes, sizes and colours of pumpkins – the largest this time in excess of 200lbs.”
Mr Houghton will be raffling off one of the pumpkins in support of children’s cancer charity Childrens Cancer Support Group (CHICS).
“The raffle tickets will be on sale from the beginning of October and the winner will be drawn the weekend before Hallowe’en.
“Everybody knows somebody who has had a child with cancer. A family member had a child who had leukaemia a couple of years ago; thankfully they were cured.
“It’s a charity that everyone can identify with.”
For details, visit The pumpkin patch pick your own page, on Facebook, or call 07973 635 111.