Foxes Farm — Local services in Basildon

So we travelled for over an hour to bring three excited 12 year olds to the Pumpkin Patch. We looked it up on google and saw it was.open. We didn't for one minute consider paid entry or booking. On arrival the girls were excited. They just wanted the experience of picking a pumpkin from a field and buying it, maybe a hot chocolate. We were refused entry as we hadn't booked and apparently it was closing, though others entered after us. We were spoken to in a very accusatory, patronising and parental way when we asked if we could have a quick look and buy some pumpkins. Apparently our entry would have been offensive to those who bought a ticket and assumed to be exploitative. Actually we just wanted a moment in the fresh air, a moment to experience the wow of a pumpkin field and the joy of halloween. Instead we experienced a place that had lost its human touch, if it every had it, and clearly was only interested in consumerism. We are now on our way back to london in the traffic. NB. I had to press one star...

Lovely afternoon spent at the pumpkin patch. We enjoyed picking pumpkins (there are some already picked in crates for you) and taking insta photos of course. There was a lovely vibe to the day; families with adorable kids running around in their Wellington boots. I didn't realise I had a email sent from the farm prepping us beforehand as it went to my junk mail. We didn't realise how muddy it was going to be; silly me wore my new suede boots! I would strongly recommend you wear clothes you do not mind getting muddy, wellington boots, bags to place the dirty shoes in when you get back in your car, wipes, tissues and water. We picked quite a few pumpkins and needed a wheelbarrow which is provided at the entrance to take them back to the car. It was fun but a proper workout pushing this through the sticky mud!

They have a cabin onsite with hot drinks but we were too exhausted after pushing the pumpkins.

It's a lovely place to visit, I would recommend the place to have extra bags and wipes available incase...

Worst pumpkin patch we ever visited.

The farm is nothing like the pics..no fall deco, barely anything. Dont understand why they charge an entrance fee just to buy pumpkins!! If you check the website, expect 20% of whats shown. There are a few big wooden crates filled with pumpkins and thats it. No pic opportunities , no activities for kids. . And note that we went when it was sunny, but it was still REALLY muddy!!

The pumpkins are expensive too. Their so called large are smaller than the medium pumpkins at waitrose and MUCH more expensive. We bought a ton from them not knowing that pumpkins were sold in stores too and to find out that prices were triple of waitrose prices was hard to swallow.

AND they charge an entrace fee ( For what?) which cannot even be redeemed towards purchase of pumpkins.

I am all for promoting small businesses and farms.. but this...