In our endeavour to minimise our carbon footprint, we integrated pumpkin planting into our wilding initiative, and it has proven to be a remarkable success. This year, we have harvested over 1200 stunning, homegrown pumpkins, all of which were hand-sown earlier this year and hand-picked right here at Gordale.
However, it’s not solely about the numbers; these pumpkins represent our dedication to sustainability and regeneration. As they flourish, they offer food and shelter for various wildlife, demonstrating that our efforts are indeed fruitful.
A selection of our pumpkins are now available to purchase from our garden centre, and the remainder will be used for our Pumpkin Patch Trail
This initiative is just one aspect of the wilding project we launched in 2023, aimed at establishing a new woodland area to connect existing ancient woodlands. We are creating safe passageways and habitats for our native wildlife.
We take immense pride in our accomplishments this year. It’s clear that our wilding project is progressing well, with native trees thriving, nature enjoying the wildlife pond, and, of course, a fantastic harvest of pumpkins.
As the seasons change, we look forward to the upcoming events and opportunities to engage our community. Our Pumpkin Patch Trail promises to be a delightful experience for families, offering a chance to complete a wonderful trail and choose a pumpkin from an undercover Pumpkin Patch. This activity has been designed to be available whatever the weather, with the trail and pumpkin patch being located undercover, so you’re welcome to leave your wellies at home.
Looking ahead, we are excited to see how our initiative continues to grow over the coming years, hopefully providing homes for an abundance of wildlife, and fingers crossed producing another successful crop of pumpkins. However our commitment to the environment extends beyond just planting and harvesting. We’re continuously exploring innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
