With the scent of fall in the air and Halloween quickly approaching, it's time for the annual trip to pick out the perfect pumpkin to carve your Jack-o-Lantern. Instead of picking one up at your local grocery store, News14.com has made it easy for you to find a pumpkin patch closest to you so you can have an authentic pumpkin-picking experience.

Click on a pumpkin for the address and phone number of the pumpkin patch. Zoom in or out and move the map around to see and read all the locations. *Note: Marks are a rough estimate of the events exact location. Use the address in the description to find each event.

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CHARLOTTE – On a day that felt anything like fall, hundreds flocked to Hodge's Dairy Farm in Charlotte to pick their perfect pumpkin. Unlike other pumpkin patches within the city limits, Hodge's is a 100-year-old working farm that grows the pumpkins on premises.

Families, armed with a cutting knife and a red wagon, took to the field on Sunday to find the perfect size and shape for their Jack-o-Lantern.

“I was just driving by and saw it,” said Jill Kurtz from Highland Creek as her 3-year-old grandson Jackson tried to pick up a pumpkin almost as big as he is. “If I would've known we were coming here today, I wouldn't have bought three [pumpkins] at Walmart.”

That's one of the goals for Frank Hodges, the 10th generation owner and operator of the farm. “I want to expose people to the country,” he said.

The 1,500-acre farm has been in Hodges' family since 1905. What started as a cotton farm, evolved into a dairy in the 1940's, and now offers horseback riding, produce, and, of course, the annual 15-acre pumpkin patch every October.

“If it wasn't for this, we wouldn't be here,” said Hodges. “We make more money in this one month than the rest of year combined.”

With a couple thousand visitors every October, Hodges said they start planting the pumpkins on July 4. It takes about 100 days to grow a single pumpkin and the average size is between 5 and 50 pounds.

This year, Hodges said the crop did really well but the pumpkins are a little smaller topping out at 30 pounds. He says the weather is to blame, more specifically, too much rain early in the season and too little later on. Because of this year's growing conditions, he's already predicting fewer pumpkins next October.

For Pat Moore and her grandson Zachary Griffin, they had plenty to choose from. “We went all the way out there,” said Moore. Griffin, 9, said he plans on carving a scary Jack-o-Lantern to go along with his demon costume for Halloween.

It's visitors like Moore and Griffin that make it all worth it for Hodges, who puts in 15 hour days and said he hasn't had a day off in a year. “It's like breathing for me,” he said. “How much is that worth?”

Hodges Dairy Farm is located at 3900 Rocky River Rd. and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until dark. In addition to the pumpkin patch, the farm offers hay rides, pony rides, a corn maze and farm animals.

Hodges said all the activities appeal to both kids and parents. “I love to watch the kids,” he said. “I say 'isn't' that the cutest thing,' then five minutes later I say 'no isn't that the cutest thing.'”

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