SPELLING BEE

Pumpkins all over the place

“Autumn…the year's last, loveliest smile.” -William Cullen Bryant

The fall mums are here and the garden crops are coming to an end. If we don't get a frost, the pumpkins and squash in local gardens will keep on getting bigger and will really be ready to give us delightful treats. I have seen big truck loads of boxed pumpkins and I have not heard of any pumpkin shortages for this year. Hopefully there will be a pumpkin for everyone who wants one.

Do you recall the canned pumpkin shortage of a few years back?

At that time, we also talked about the fact that canned “pumpkin” is really from a squash called Dickinson squash that is grown special for the Libby Company. Most of the canned pumpkin/squash(P/S) is grown within 50 miles of Morton, Illinois. Ten states grow about 65 percent of all the P/S raised in the United States. (Minnesota does not rank, but Wisconsin is Number 9.) Pumpkin is a fruit that is a member of the gourd family. To really confuse you, all pumpkins are squash but not all squash are pumpkins. You figure that one out at the next cocktail party. Jackolanterns have been an Irish tradition for a few centuries but they were carved from turnips or potatoes. Some smart Irish person caught on that pumpkins were much easier to carve and came in more sizes and shapes. This whole P/S thing is native to Central America and got wildly moved around during the great exploring times. We have been gifted both chocolate, pumpkin/squash and potatoes from that area.

Where did all this growing the giant pumpkins get a start? Believe it or not, in 1893 a grower from Ontario had a 365 pound squash at the Chicago World's Fair. Things stayed low key and about the biggest anyone heard about was pumpkins in the 400 pound range. Howard Dill of Nova Scotia heated things up to a big time level in the 1970's with the introduction of his “Atlantic Giant”. A number of the big guys are now in the 2,000 plus range. Stegano Cutrupe of Tuscany had a world's record of a 2,703 pounder in October of 2021! It gets very competitive and all kinds of secrets are said to be needed to grow a BIG ONE, as well as special seed. Some people build special greenhouse like structures to have climate control over the growing process. Seeds from a prize winner can go for several dollars on up for a single seed! Special handling has to be used to not hurt these big boys at harvest time and at weigh ins.

A number of years ago we tried our hand at the big pumpkin thing. Not knowing what we were doing or having any of the secrets, we still were able to grow a few that got close to 90 or 100 pounds! Yes, we had lots of boards, the tractor bucket and blankets out to pick them up and move them around. They did look grand on our front porch and then we had a grand mess to clean up after a few hard frosts. And yes, I did make a few pies out of one of them and it worked out. I did not need to have the “pie pumpkin” that is said to be needed to make a good pie.

Are you ready for more pumpkin/squash (P/S) information? They are high in zinc, Vits A,C,E and have fiber. Mix together 5 tsp of pumpkin puree, 3 tsp sugar and a splash of milk to make a great skin defoliator. Double use of the inside of the P/S can be had if you separate the seeds from the guts. Yes, we are going to just call it the guts as most kids do. Clean and roast the seeds and you can use the guts to do a stock along with other veggie leftovers like celery, carrots, etc. After the Halloween season, you can put out your P/S seeds for the birds and the rest can be put out for deer to eat. Small pumpkins make very fancy bowls for soups or you can do a single giant one. Cut the top off to act as a lid and clean out the guts.The soup can be baked in the bowls but just be sure to have on a tray so you don't have to do tricky handling (otherwise it would be “clean up in Oven 1”. Bake the tops too and add when the soup is served. Have FUN!