Farms around London, Ontario, are taking leftover Halloween pumpkins

Southwestern Ontario farms are asking neighbors to bring leftover Halloween pumpkins to animals instead of the trash. CBC News reported it on November 3, 2026. The Great Pumpkin Rescue, a volunteer list based in Oxford County, gathers farms that will take pumpkins, squash, and gourds during the first week of November. The habit started more than a decade ago at Northlane Farm in Thamesford, which still collects them.

Beaumont Acres, a sanctuary in London, has taken pumpkins every fall since it opened six years ago. Founder Justine Beaumont estimated the farm had already received close to 100 pumpkins and gourds this year. The sanctuary has nearly 30 rescue and retired working animals, including horses, pigs, ducks, and a cow. Beaumont said Trixie the cow comes running for pumpkins, horses prefer the seeds, ducks and chickens go for the insides, and pigs eat the lot and roll pumpkins like balls. Volunteer Bryan Smith said pumpkins headed to animals must be free of paint, metal, toothpicks, candles, and wax. Beaumont will take a squashy pumpkin, but not a moldy one. Woodstock and Tillsonburg are also sorting donated pumpkins for the community and for livestock, with the same rule against paint, rot, wax, and sharps. London residents can cut unpainted pumpkins into the green bin. The list is for this week. It is not a promise that every pumpkin in the region will be eaten.