IT is pumpkin picking time as a family-run farm opens its gates for the seventh year.

Cobbs Farm Pumpkins, in Maldon Road, Goldhanger, is welcoming visitors to the farm this year to pick a variety of pumpkins.

The farm is open with free entry, free parking and no booking is required.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Owners: Becky and John Bunting Owners: Becky and John Bunting (Image: Hannah Phipps Photography)

All pumpkins are grown naturally on vines at the farm in Goldhanger.

Some varieties of pumpkins are brought in from other fields, but they are all grown at Cobbs Farm.

Essex-based blogger ‘Really no such thing as bad weather’ described the farm as “the most reasonably priced pumpkin farm in Essex”.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Hay: pumpkin art on a hay baleHay: pumpkin art on a hay bale (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Picking: families enjoying the pumpkin patchPicking: families enjoying the pumpkin patch (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

Refreshments including cake, hot chocolate and coffee are available on the farm on Thursday, October 26, from Goldhanger-based baker Natasha Williamson, who runs Tasha’s Tasty Treats.

The Wildest Rumpus will be at the farm from Friday to Sunday, offering pumpkin cake and spicy pumpkin soup with the blue squash ‘Crown Prince’ grown on the farm.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Pumpkins: range of small pumpkins Pumpkins: range of small pumpkins (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

Farmers John and Becky Bunting are very hands-on with their business and serve all the customers themselves.

Heybridge photographer Hannah Phipps is also offering a mini photoshoot for families and couples, which is bookable via her Instagram or website hannahphipps.com.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Treats: brownies from Tasha's Tasty TreatsTreats: brownies from Tasha's Tasty Treats (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Fresh: large pumpkins at Cobbs FarmFresh: large pumpkins at Cobbs Farm (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

Becky said: “We really enjoy sharing our farm during this harvest time and meeting all our customers.

“We are on hand to provide all the growing knowledge and advice on which ones are the best for eating or carving, and we even hand out free recipe cards.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Chosen: selecting the best pumpkinChosen: selecting the best pumpkin (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

“This year has been absolutely perfect weather for growing pumpkins, so we have thousands to choose from and plenty of the enormous and supermax sizes which are massive.

“Little kids - and big kids - can sit on the lovely blue vintage super Dexta tractor or climb the bale pyramid to burn off some energy.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Vintage: children have been enjoying the vintage tractorVintage: children have been enjoying the vintage tractor (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)

“Families can picnic by the reservoir and relax whilst watching the beautiful birdlife, such as swans, geese and ducks.”

The farm is open from 10am to 4pm with the final opening day on Tuesday, October 31.

Pumpkins are priced from £1 to £15 depending on their size.

Maldon and Burnham Standard: Farm: kids at Cobbs FarmFarm: kids at Cobbs Farm (Image: Cobbs Farm Pumpkins)