Pumpkin patches may feel like a can’t-miss fall tradition, but they’re some of the biggest seasonal scams.
According to Finder, the United States pumpkin industry earned over $843 million in 2023, with nearly half the population buying pumpkins for jack-o’-lanterns.
Here are some sneaky ways pumpkin patches might be ripping you off—and why you may want to reconsider visiting:
What to Know About Pumpkin Profits
Pumpkin patches are a highly profitable sector of the U.S. agritourism industry, which has increased in value by 33% from 2017 to 2022. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, the country’s pumpkin production value rose 25% from 2020 to 2022, officially hitting $134 million.
It’s clear pumpkins are a hot commodity among fall consumers. If you’re considering heading to a patch this season, be wary of these common ripoffs.
Disappointing Patches
Some have been disappointed by patches that fall short of the fun they advertise. Imagine paying $12 for a hayride that lasts less than five minutes and takes you not to a patch of growing pumpkins but to a field where they’re haphazardly scattered around. This lackluster experience is becoming common at pumpkin patches that fail to meet customer expectations.
Overpriced Activities
Many pumpkin patches offer additional activities like petting zoos and corn mazes to increase profits. You could end up spending big bucks for the complete pumpkin patch experience.
Disappointed customers are taking to the internet to share the ridiculous prices some farms charge. One pumpkin patch-goer complained about a local farm charging $18 for a short game of putt-putt, a blatant cash grab attempt.
Misleading Advertisements
Many have realized that some pumpkin patches outsource their gourds rather than growing them on-site. These patches usually don’t disclose that their pumpkins were delivered by the truckload and distributed throughout the fields by employees. Customers may feel deceived once they discover the truth behind these imposter pumpkin patches.
Absurd Pumpkin Prices
If you’ve visited a pumpkin patch in recent years, you probably experienced sticker shock at how expensive pumpkins have become. It isn’t just you—in 2022, prices jumped 15% at some farms, where a 15-pound pumpkin can now cost upwards of $20. These hikes are leading some to visit patches for fun but save the pumpkin purchasing for grocery stores, where the average price is estimated to be a much more reasonable $5.47.
High Costs for Families
Pumpkin patches promise family fun but at a steep price. Entry fees can be $20-30 per person, costing a family of four $80-120 just to walk in the door. Add in the extra expenses for food, drinks, activities, and pumpkins, and you’re in for a pricey fall outing.
Expensive Aesthetics
In addition to traditional jack-o’-lantern pumpkins, many farms plant unconventional varieties, like pale blue Jarrahdales or ghoulish Warty Goblins. It all comes back to maximizing profits by offering customers a wider selection of pumpkins. Farms can significantly upcharge their pumpkins by appealing to consumer desire for aesthetic, decorative gourds.
All for the ‘Gram
“Is it really Halloween unless you manage to bag 100 likes on Insta with your autumnal vibes?” asks one writer at The Tab who’s grown fed up with the overhyped pumpkin patch culture. They raise a valid point about whether the trendiest patches prioritize aesthetics over experience.
In a 2022 LendingTree survey of 1,600 Americans, 39% planned to visit a pumpkin patch to celebrate the season. This makes it the most popular fall activity, ahead of trick-or-treating and haunted houses. Pumpkin patch owners know they can draw visitors in with Instagram-worthy fall scenery, even if they must pay a premium to enjoy it.
Massive Crowds
Forget the peaceful pumpkin patches you remember visiting as a child. Today, you can expect massive crowds at the country’s most popular pumpkin-growing farms.
According to Strawberry Shortcake, top pumpkin patches nationwide see millions of TikTok hashtag views and hundreds of thousands of annual Google searches. As visitor numbers rise at these fall destinations, the increased demand for pumpkins will inevitably lead to higher consumer prices.
Taking Advantage of Nostalgia
Across the country, farmers are capitalizing on nostalgia to drive traffic to their pumpkin patches. Though pumpkin carving has existed for centuries, HerbaZest reports that modern-day patches emerged in the U.S. following World War II.
Many Americans grew up going to pumpkin patches and plan to continue the tradition with their families. However, consider whether your nostalgia is worth the exorbitant pumpkin patch prices you must contend with today.
Skip the New England crowds this fall
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Celebrate the season at an Oktoberfest celebration
Fall is the ideal time to dress in traditional Bavarian clothing and enjoy a pint of German beer with your closest friends. These epic Oktoberfests worldwide are worth adding to your bucket list.
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Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
