Pumpkin drive for pigs at the National Museum of Rural Life to reduce waste this Halloween
Visitors to the National Museum of Rural Life are being encouraged to donate their Halloween pumpkins and turnips on November 1st. Farmers will feed the seasonal squash to the Tamworth pigs and sheep on the Museum’s historic working farm in an effort to reduce food waste.
Press photos are available here.
Around 18,000 tonnes of uneaten pumpkins are thrown away each year, according to a 2024 report by Waste Managed. More still are left outside in gardens, woods or farmland where they can pose a risk to wildlife like hedgehogs.
From Saturday 1st until Sunday 9th of November, visitors can drop off their pumpkins or turnips at a designated donation point inside the East Kilbride Museum. The popular attraction is home to a family of rare breed Tamworth pigs and sheep, as well as visitor favourites Gina and Anna the Clydesdale Horses, Highland cattle, hens and an Ayrshire Dairy herd that are milked each afternoon.
Vicky McLean, General Manager of the National Museum of Rural Life, said:
“Thousands of pumpkins end up in landfill each year, a real Halloween horror! Donating pumpkins for pigs is a small step towards reducing the truly spooky environmental impact of food waste. The squash also provide a nutritious farmyard treat, and of course our sheep love neeps too.”
Visitors to the National Museum of Rural Life can learn about Scotland’s rich rural heritage through the fascinating objects showcased in the Museum’s galleries. They can also visit the historic working farm to see the animals and step back in time at the Georgian farmhouse that offers a glimpse into the home life of farmers over 70 years ago.
Pumpkins and turnips should be free of paint, wax or plastic decorations and visitors should not attempt to feed any of the animals themselves. A donation point will be available inside the museum building where the farmers will collect the vegetables to feed to the pigs and sheep as part of a healthy balanced diet.
The National Museum of Rural Life is open seven days a week from 10am until 5pm.
Tickets can be booked online at nms.ac.uk/rural-life
Notes to editors
The National Museum of Rural Life
A museum, historic farmhouse and working farm, the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride explores the land, people and ways of working that have shaped Scotland's rural history. On display in the museum is Scotland's largest collection of tractors, combine harvesters and farming machinery, while the farm is home to Ayrshire, Aberdeen Angus and Highland cattle, Tamworth pigs, sheep, hens and Clydesdale horses. Lanarkshire's Reid family lived in the Georgian farmhouse for ten generations, and rooms are as they would have been in the 1950s.
The National Museum of Rural Life is open seven days a week from 10am until 5pm.
Tickets can be booked online at nms.ac.uk/rural-life
Annual Pass – pay once, visit all year
Annual Pass prices
Adult (16+) £12, Over 65’s £11, Concession* £10, Child (5-15) £9, (under 5’s free**)
15% family discount when up to three Child (5-15) tickets alongside up to two Adult, Over 65 or Concession tickets (max 5 tickets total) purchased***
National Museums Scotland members free
National Trust for Scotland members free
Accompanying essential carers free
Discounts available for groups of 10 or more.
School visits free; some workshop charges apply.
* Concessions: Student, Unemployed, Disabled, Young Scot. Valid ID required.
**Additional charge for some events.
***Cannot be used with member tickets or any other discount or offer.
National Museums Scotland
National Museums Scotland is one of the leading museum groups in the UK and Europe and it looks after collections of national and international importance. The organisation provides loans, partnerships, research and training in Scotland and internationally. Our individual museums are the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life and the National War Museum. The National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh houses conservation and research facilities as well as collections not currently on display.
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Bheireadh Oifis nam Meadhanan eadar-theangachadh Gàidhlig den bhrath-naidheachd seachad do bhuidhinn mheadhanan bharantaichte. Cuiribh fios do dh'Oifis nam Meadhanan airson bruidhinn air cinn-latha freagarrach.