Pick A Patch of Perky Pumpkins

What with the unpredictable soggy weather, we still made several trips in and out of state over the past weeks to soak in the autumnal glory of NJ and NY, but delayed our pumpkin shopping till the last minute. I observed with interest this week that only a handful of neighbors have displayed their pumpkins as yet, and several friends have raised discussions on where to get them.

Preferring a holistic pumpkin-and-squash experience rather than a grocery-centered one, I headed out recently to a nursery near Montclair, just a minute's drive into Verona. There I found the condensed Hillcrest Farms, providing a tastefully concentrated farm experience bursting with pumpkins, ornamental cabbage, late-blooming daisies, squash of all kinds, colors, shapes and sizes and chrysanthemums, too.

Presumably to keep the young entertained (worked for me), it has a mini-zoo of baby animals on loan from another farm till November. And, happily for those not keen to have their pumpkins prematurely carved by Bloomfield Ave traffic, Hillcrest has its own dedicated parking lot.

Although a sprawling farm is a fabulous thing to explore on an idyllic day, Hillcrest is the perfect size for browsing through if you've done the hayride/apple-picking/cider donut-eating you had hoped to do this season, and, if you have a mission at hand. Squash gathering was mine, and the absence of mud underfoot was welcome icing on my pumpkin-spiced cake.

Hillcrest Farms has been run by the Filoso family - Patrick and Barbara, and their children Jennifer and Patrick Jr - for 65 years. They provide landscaping services, stock an impressive range of annuals, perennials and shrubs in spring and summer, during which they also bring in locally grown corn, tomatoes and peaches. In winter, take your pick of Christmas trees, wreaths, grave covers, outdoor decorations and poinsettias.

While I had the chance for a recent visit to Hillcrest, I haven't been disappointed by the other nurseries within a drivable distance of Baristaville, all visited at some point over the past year. Here's a few that shouldn't disappoint the squash-minded:

Richfield Farms Garden Center
1139 Van Houten Ave,
Clifton, NJ 07013
973.777.7535

Pleasantdale Nurseries
240 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ
973.731.0830?

Cedar Hill Nursery
10 Whitney Road
Mahwah, NJ 07430
201.891.7775

Fairfield Farms & Greenhouses
177 Big Piece Rd.
Fairfield, NJ 07004
973.227.1011

Have you visited any interesting farms or nurseries for your fall supplies? Tell us about them in comments.