Darragh McCullough: Pumpkin growers have turned their fields into adrenaline parks because there's more money in fear and Instagram than beef or barley

"Farmers have carefully curated a Halloween experience that families are quite happy to shell out for"

"A few years back, we decided to grow pumpkins. At first, the whole thing looked like a disaster. For weeks, they sulked in the soil doing absolutely nothing. Instead, every weed known to mankind had a go at smothering them out."

"And then, all of a sudden, these green orbs began to swell under the leaves. It was absurdly satisfying, like watching a slow-motion popcorn machine hidden in the dirt."

Farmers curate Halloween experiences that attract paying families by combining seasonal attractions with on-farm activities and produce. A pumpkin crop can begin with slow, discouraging growth while weeds dominate the beds. After a period of apparent stagnation, pumpkins can suddenly expand beneath their foliage into visible green orbs. That rapid, tangible development creates a strong sensory payoff for growers, described as absurdly satisfying. The visible transformation and the resulting pumpkins contribute to the commercial appeal and visitor experience of fall farm events.

Read at Independent