Now that Halloween’s over, you might be done with your pumpkins, but you know who would love to sink their teeth into them? Goats and pigs! And pumpkins are also fantastic for composting. If you compost your food scraps, you know how valuable an old pumpkin is!
If you don’t compost, there are still some constructive ways to get rid of your pumpkins.
Some Charlotte area farms would welcome pumpkin donations for their animals to enjoy. Make sure that the pumpkins are not painted.
(And guess what–we’ll put this same call out for old Christmas trees in a couple months!)
Smashing Pumpkins Fall Festival
Triple C Brewing, 2900 Griffith Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, hosting Smashing Pumpkins Fall Festival on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 12 to 10 p.m. Free to attend.
They’ll be collecting pumpkins to donate to local farmers and excess candy to send to our troops overseas through Operation Shoebox.
Food and drink for purchase. Plus s’more kits to purchase to enjoy around the bonfire.
Town of Davidson Pumpkin Smash & Shoot
The Town of Davidson is hosting their 3rd Annual Pumpkin Smash & Shoot at Fisher Farm Archery Range, 21215 Shearer Road, Davidson, North Carolina, on Sunday, November 9, 2025, from 1 to 3 p.m.
Bring your pumpkin, and destroy it with an arrow (or smash it.) Pumpkins will also be launched! The pumpkin remains will be composted. Pumpkins will be available if you don’t have one to bring.
Punkin Chuck-in at Pilot Brewing
Drop off a pumpkin at Pilot Brewing, 1331 Central Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina, for their Punkin Chuck-in event. Just drop it off on Saturday, November 1, 2025, between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., and they’ll give you a brewery gift card in exchange. The pumpkins will go local farmers for their animals.
Pumpkin Chunkin’ at Schiele Museum
The Schiele Museum of Natural History, at 1500 E Garrison Blvd, Gastonia, North Carolina, has pumpkins that need smashing.
Their Pumpkin Chunkin’ event is Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bring the family for pumpkin decorating, then launch your personalized pumpkin through the air using a medieval catapult! Lay siege to a cardboard castle with your pumpkin cannonball.
Included in price of admission. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (65+), $10 for youth (3-18) and free for children under age 3. City of Gastonia residents get $2 off admission. Show ID at the admissions desk.
Carrigan Farms
Carrigan Farms, 1261 Oak Ridge Farm Highway, Mooresville, North Carolina, is hosting its first ever Pumpkin Sling and Smash on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 10 a.m.
Come take a trip to the pumpkin patch to sling and smash pumpkins! Take a hayride out to the pumpkin patch and smash pumpkins right in the field or sling them across the patch with the pumpkin slingshots! The cost is $25 per person and includes the hayride to and from the pumpkin patch, along with use of the mallet and slingshots.
Lunch is available for $10.
True Cut Ranch of Claremont
True Cut Ranch, 5221 Bolick Road, Claremont, North Carolina, would love some pumpkins for their pigs. Bring by any unpainted pumpkins (without anything inside.) You can feed them to the pigs Friday, November 7, 2025, from 3 to 6 p.m., or Saturday, November 8, from 2 to 5 p.m. There’s also a $5 walking tour on Saturday, And you can fish for $5 from Thursday to Sunday, from sun up to sun down.
Darby Acres
Darby Acres, at 9395 Hutchinson Lane, Charlotte, North Carolina, accepts donation of pumpkins (including carved), gourds, Christmas trees, hay, straw, fruits, vegetables, and dog and cat food. Please drop items off at the end of Hutchinson Lane, next to the Tractor. This information was found on Pumpkinsforpigs.org/donation-sites.
Gomez Goats
Gomez Goats, 1104 Sand Dollar Court, Monroe, North Carolina, accepts donations of pumpkins, gourds, acorns, Christmas trees, hay, straw, fruit and vegetables. Drop off items next to the old truck in the yard. This information was found on Pumpkinsforpigs.org/donation-sites.
Pumpkins for Pigs
Check the listings on PumpkinsForPigs.org to see what farms are looking for pumpkin donations for their pigs and other animals.
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