Dear mummy, on a beautiful sunny Autumn day we headed to Netley, Southampton in Hampshire, to pick some pumpkins for Halloween – but came away with a lot more than that!
Pickwells had been recommended by a family friend and we visited on a quiet Monday morning during term time. It was great for a toddler like me to burn off energy by pushing a wheelbarrow and picking fruit. ‘Pick your own’ is a great day out and it was fascinating to find out where my food comes from.
There is no entrance fee to Pickwells and you pay for what you pick. There is a nice farm shop on site as well. It’s a family-run business established in 1985 and the ‘Pick & Pay’ fields are open from 9am-4.30pm, seven days a week from April-October. Address: Grange Road, Netley, Southampton, SO31 8GD.
We had great fun walking around the fields in the bright sunshine spotting the fruit and veg and enjoying the wildlife. We could hear the distant traffic in the background which was a close reminder that Pickwell is sandwiched between the M27 and Southampton City Centre. But to be here, looking up at the blue sky and the fields, it was like we were in another world.
I’ve always been a good eater and will try my hand at anything put in front of me, including greens, so this trip was a real eye-opener for me. I loved finding out where my food came from and how it grew. Even my mummy was educated by Grandma, who had come along for our adventure and had been brought up on a farm.
We had fun hunting down the pumpkins while walking through the fields. We saw them sparkling like orange jewels against the blue sky their twisted vines lying on the ground. There were also rhubarb fields, strawberries, broad beans, peas, and raspberries as far as the eye could see.
I loved having something to show for my efforts and was very proud of my wheelbarrow haul. I was desperate to get home and start cooking my corn and even helped my mummy boil it with lemon and sugar to soften it up.
It was lovely picking and cooking veg on the same day and we could definitely taste the difference between shop bought corn on the cob and the fresh from the field veg.
We would highly recommend this as a fun, healthy and educational activity and we came away with 4 pumpkins, 3 large ears of corn on the cob and a punnet of strawberries all for only £8!! Really good value and a great family experience.
As you can see the proof is in the pudding and it was my first time eating corn off the cob! Very yummy!
Love Bella x
dearmummyblog.com 
We went apple and pear picking at the weekend and that was fab but this looks even better what a great selection of crops and your photos are beautiful too. I’d like some of that corn it looks delicious. #DreamTeam
Popping back from #PointShoot Great shots! I love the one of you and mummy, the sky is beautiful!
Thanks, we just happened to be travelling to Southampton to visit relatives and heard about this place. A real gem…. ‘lettuce’ 😉
What a fun day out and Netley is only about 20mins from me, definitely going to suggest to hubby that we take Leo to do this this weekend. Looks like you had a great time xx #dreamteam
This looks like so much fun! We’ve never been on a pumpkin picking day but we have plans this year. And I LOVE corn on the cob, delicious!!
Oh you are so lucky! I’ve been looking on line for somewhere I could take my daughter to pick-your-own-pumpkins too. You look so adorable in your photos 🙂 xx
This looks so much fun and that sweetcorn sure looks tasty. I want to go pumpkin picking now x
I love corn on the cob, yum! Impressed at the range of colours and patterns on the pumpkins too!
It was like a rainbow of veg! Too good to miss on Instagram 😉
Wow that’s some pumpkin patch. I can’t believe you came away with all those goodies for £8! I almost fell off my chair. I really want to find somewhere like this near us. Thanks so much for sharing with the #dreamteam xx
I know right?! It was super cheap!!
Such wonderful pictures! We went to our local pumpkin fields at the weekend and had a fantastic time too! #pointshoot
The film came shooting into my mind, reading the title lol! I so desperately want to go pumpkin picking but nothing beats a good corn on the cob. Looked like a fantastic day, love bright Autumnal days.
The blog title made me chuckle – looks like a fun day out 🙂
Oh wow what a fantastic sounding day out – picking all those lovely fresh fruit and veg! x
What gorgeous photos and what a fab day out. I so wish we had a pumpkin patch near us. x
I used to love heading to pick my own as a child but I never got to pick pumpkins! My niece and nephew would love this! x
This is so cute and I did chuckle at your post title, far too cute to be children of the corn x
What a beautiful place and experience, I may see if I have somewhere like this nearby xx
This looks a wonderful place – we visited our local pumpkin farm yesterday. Kaz & Ickle Pickle x
Aww, what a nice experience. It’s great that you were able to take home some delicious produce!
oh my, i would love to go here! would never have thought about picking corn
Sounds like great fun! Those pumpkins look so cool. I really want to go to a pumpkin patch
Oh wow, ive never actually seen or been to a pumpkin patch before!! xxx
I’ve never been pumpkin picking before, but really want to this year.
We are going pumpkin picking next week and I am so excited!
We’ve just been pumpkin picking too. I love it!
The photos are absolutely fabulous! So cute and adorable!
These are fabulous. Didn’t know it was there. We popped to PYO near Christchurch X
Oh gosh, i’ve always wanted to go to a pumpkin patch. We don’t have one close to us, may have to google where to closest actually is. My son would love it xx
OMG I need to go here! LOVE the pics – we don’t have any pumpkin patches near where we live 😦 Boooo
What fun! I haven’t been to a pick your own in far too long.
When I was little, I used to go to a ‘pick your own farm’ in Netley too, my Aunty and Uncle lived in Southampton. I can’t believe you got pumpkins and strawberries at the same time, it all look delicious. Some great pictures of your lovely day out Bella xx #MyCapturedMoment xx
Is that time of the year I guess. What a nice experience would love to go too.
I love to get fresh fruit and veg from these pick your own farms they taste so much nicer. Love the photos they are so cute. I need to see if our local does pumpkins.
What a fun day out! I love all the colours in the pictures of the pumpkins and squashes too, I just love October for the brilliant autumnal colours 🙂 x
Oh this looks like a fabulous day and your photos are beautiful!
L x
thequietresolution.co.uk
We haven’t managed to do any fruit picking, or visit a pumpkin patch this year, just haven’t had a free weekend! Looks like you had a great time 🙂 Gorgeous photos. And, your blog post title made me smile, am I showing my age?! #countrykids
I’ve not tried lemon and sugar on sweetcorn before. Sounds yummy. We grow our own pumpkins and sweetcorn, so I’ve not been to a pumpkin patch, but it does look fun choosing your own. What a fab day out. #CountryKids
How adorable. We always love going to pick your own places. Have never tried lemon and sugar on corn, must remember that! #CountryKids
I adore pumpkin fields. There are none near me but i love seeing the photos of others visiting them. That photo with all the different colour pumpkins really caught my eye on Instagram, I’m delighted to see it in context. the wheelbarrows are a lovely tough and being able to make a day of it and pick more than just pumpkins. Eating what you pick is always so much more rewarding.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
Absolutely stunning pictures and looks like a wonderful day out together! We love corn on the cob here and yours looks so much fresher than what you’d find in the supermarket. Thanks for linking up to #dreamteam Hope to see you next time x
That looks like a amazing place! I can imagine the wheelbarrow was a good workout haha. Pumpkins and toddler! And we love corn! Looks delicious! #countrykids
What fun for a toddler/ pre-schooler. We plan to do the same thing next weekend and your stunning photos of the field of pumpkins has made me look forward to it even more! #CountryKids
What fun! Your post brought back memories of taking my son to pick strawberries at a nearby farm. They grow up so fast. You are making lovely memories. #countrykids
Sounds like it was so much fun and I have total pumpkin envy … look at all those gorgeous colours and textures!
Ooh, these pumpkins look amazing! What lovely photos, I can’t wait to go picking out pumpkins soon. x
Beautiful photo’s and beautiful girl X #PointShoot
We don’t seem to have pumpkin patches near us but this would be a pretty cool activity to do! I grew corn on my allotment one year and totally agree it tastes the best freshly picked! #countrykids
This looks like a fabulous place! Fab shots. Thanks for linking up with #PointShoot xx
This looks like an amazing day out. I love corn and I’ve always wanted to go picking my own fruit and veg.
We went to buy pumpkins at the weekend but I love that your place also did PYO vegetables. I would love to do this with Sophie. #CountryKids
I really wanna go strawberry picking! This looked like so much fun.
Looks like you had a great day! My daughter LOVES corn on the cob, we have to have it at least once a week!