‘Use pumpkins not plastic at Halloween' says farmer

George Holdstock wants people to use pumpkins rather than plastic decorations for Halloween

A Kent farmer is urging people to consider the environment this Halloween and use real pumpkins instead of plastic decorations.

George Holdstock, from Hoath Fruit Farm near Canterbury, would like to see people visit their local farm to pick pumpkins to decorate or eat at home.

A survey by Party Worldwide showed that last year UK households spent approximately £1bn on decorations, costumes, and other festivities for Halloween.

Mr Holdstock says that visiting a local farm cuts food miles as the pumpkins are grown on site and "every single one of them is biodegradable".

Pumpkins can last up to a year if they haven't been carved

He said: "The vast majority are edible, we’ve got some seriously tasty varieties that once you’ve finished decorating with can end up in a delicious winter soup.”

As a fourth generation farmer, Mr Holdstock is keen to diversify to survive after seeing wheat prices fluctuate from £360 per tonne one year to £160 the next.

“It’s really comforting to grow a crop year after year and know what you’re going to sell it for," he said.

"It helps us plan. It helps us budget. It helps us take some confidence that the farm is going to survive for the next generation.”

Pumpkins are one of the oldest known domesticated plants, with evidence of them being grown by humans up to 9,000 years ago.

Carving them into jack-o-lanterns originates from an Irish myth with the first record of them used to mark Halloween by immigrants to North America recorded in 1866.

Many recipes make use of pumpkins and if left uncarved, they can still be used a year after picking.