Uncle Matthew’s Pumpkin Picking Tips

matthew-gray-gubler-pumpkin-picking

A yearly fall tradition at the Dahl House is picking pumpkins to decorate for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Laura and her brother Matthew Gray Gubler love to make an event out of it so whether we are driving through upstate New York or the California central coast, we always find a fun pumpkin patch and sometimes a haunted house (for Matthew).

With the arrival of our son Hunter we’ve taken pumpkin picking to the next level, including a 98 pound pumpkin that we just “had to have”, but no one picks pumpkins quite as well as Matthew. He has truly made it an art form and he has graciously shared some of his secrets to finding the best pumpkins.

Follow his tips and we can guarantee you’ll have the most unconventional and awe-inspiring batch of pumpkins around.

Uncle Matthew Gray Gubler’s Pumpkin Picking Tips

pumpkin-patch

Don’t pick the pumpkin, let the pumpkin pick you

Like snowflakes, all pumpkins are unique. Every pumpkin in the patch has a specific person it is meant to go home with so don’t just grab the one closest to the checkout stand.

Walk around for awhile and listen for the one that’s calling your name. In my opinion the weirder, lonelier, and more misshapen the pumpkin the better.

pumpkin-patch-drive

Drive, Drive, Drive, the further out of town the better

It’s a well-known fact that the best pumpkins live far away from the city. I think you will find that the further out of town you drive the more unique, (and less expensive) pumpkins you will find.

pumpkin-stem

Leave the stalk

If you are lucky enough to find a pumpkin patch that lets you cut the pumpkins directly from the vine, do yourself a favor and try to keep as much of the vine as possible attached to the pumpkin. Nothing looks more enchanting than a pumpkin with its long twisted “umbilical cord” stalk still attached.

grab-pumpkin-stalk-no

Never grab a pumpkin by its stalk

That would be like someone picking you up by your hair. It may seem like a perfect handle, but often times pumpkins are so heavy that the stalk will rip right off in your hand and the sad orphaned pumpkin will be left to rot on the pumpkin patch floor. Be kind to your pumpkin pals and in turn, they won’t come to life and eat you in your sleep.

gourds

Don’t forget the Gourds!

If you’re on a farm, then it’s likely they have a large selection of other fall vegetables on display, gourds, cornstalks, wheat bouquets and squash are the perfect finishing touch to your magical pumpkin collection. Tip: cornstalks should be brown not green

Have fun picking!!!

Check out how Matthew decorates with his pumpkins when he gets home and see how we took some power tools to decorate ours.

matthew-gray-gubler-picking-pumpkins
Did I miss any?

matthew-laura-hunter-pumpkins
Pumpkin safari has been a success!

pumpkin-trunk
Our fall treasures

timothy-laura-pumpkins
Pumpkin Family

pumpkin-home

Laura loves her pumpkins!

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  • DORE
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 10:53 am

    You are all so adorable! Thank you for sharing! You make Matthew’s fans happy!

  • Maddy FromMars
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 10:59 am

    This is adorable xD

  • Vicci Gritz
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 11:02 am

    Laura, hope you didn’t squish Hunter when you picked up that humongous pumpkin!!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Kat Xander
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 11:18 am

    **cooing over teeny Hunter** I agree…thank you for sharing your family fun with us! You’re all too cute for words…

  • C Grant
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 11:53 am

    did you ever carve a cucumber? ย We did, once when my kids were little. . only once. ย Fun!!!

  • Rensomnia
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 12:34 pm

    Great write-up, great tips, and great pics!ย  Now put that giganto-pumpkin down!!!ย  Awesome family time is indispensable! ย  ๐Ÿ˜€

  • Magali Rault
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 12:34 pm

    Thank you so much, all this family so happy, it’s so cute and beautiful. Hunter is so beautiful happy and serene nestled on his mom ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Prarie_bayou
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 12:43 pm

    That looks like so much fun!!!

  • Sarah09
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 3:19 pm

    That was the best I love pumpkins I miss New England and doing all that fun stuff..Just moved to long beach haven’t seen to many open field with pumpkins..But that was great!

  • Monserrat A.B.
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 4:53 pm

    It’s so great!!!!! Love all that!

  • Martinaohm
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 6:09 pm

    What a beautiful little boy you have, awesome pic of the 3 of you……………

  • Chavis2630
    29 Oct โ€™11 at 7:30 pm

    Looks like u had a great time Uncle Matthew. Thanks for the tips. Baby has beautiful head of dark hair. happy Halloween!

  • Rosiebehri
    30 Oct โ€™11 at 4:00 am

    love gubler, love pumpkins, love this <3

  • whobloid
    30 Oct โ€™11 at 9:35 am

    OMG you for are perfect! the picture ofย  your sister her little boy and her husband is perfect congratulations on such an adorable family ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Beforeicroak
    30 Oct โ€™11 at 6:36 pm

    Looks like lombardi farms

  • Patricia Farias
    30 Oct โ€™11 at 8:44 pm

    WOw!!!they are incredible!!!Pumpkins are big!!!!!!!!!!

  • Patricia Farias
    30 Oct โ€™11 at 8:46 pm

    Wow!!!they are incredible! the pumpkins are very Big!!!!!!

  • Rachel
    31 Oct โ€™11 at 8:05 am

    Best story ever.ย 

  • CRASY K
    21 Oct โ€™13 at 12:41 pm

    wow that was a BIIIIIIIIG PUMPKIN! YEY!