The start of fall brings an abundance of pumpkins. We see them everywhere ~ they are used for decorations, eating and for some, pure entertainment as in punkin' chunkin'. If you've never heard of punkin' chunkin', you can watch here.
Here are some fun facts about pumpkins
1. Did you know? Pumpkins are a member of the gourd family, which includes cucumbers, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, watermelons and zucchini. These plants are native to Central America and Mexico, but now grow on six of the seven continents—all but Antarctica.
2. Did you know? Indigenous North Americans have been growing pumpkins for thousands of years—even before the cultivation of beans and corn.
3. Did you know? French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence region of North America in 1584 and he reported finding “gros melons.” The name was translated into English as “pompions,” which has since evolved into the modern “pumpkin.”
4. Did you know? According to the 2017 U.S. Agriculture Census, Illinois is the largest producer of pumpkins in the United States. It harvests twice as many pumpkin acres as any of the other top-producing states.
5. Did you know? The heaviest pumpkin was grown in Belgium in 2016 and weighed a whopping 2,624 pounds. The heaviest pumpkin in the U.S. was grown in New Hampshire in 2018 and weighed 2,528 pounds. The largest pumpkin pie ever baked was in Ohio in 2010. It weighed 3,699 pounds and was over 20 feet in diameter. These records have yet to be broken as of 2021!
6. Did you know? Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow and are picked in October when they are bright orange in color. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year or of course, they are great for roasting and eating!
One more thing~Jack-O-Lanterns
Here's some Jack-O-Lantern History: It was the early Irish immigrants who brought the tradition of making a jack-o-lantern at Halloween. According to Irish folklore, Jack was a blacksmith who had tricked the devil on several occasions. The story goes that when Jack died, he was denied entrance into both heaven and hell. When the devil turned him away, he gave Jack a burning ember. Jack hollowed out a turnip to carry the ember and give him light. The Irish remembered this story each year by carving scary faces on turnips and placing a burning piece of coal inside. However, when the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they discovered that pumpkins were more readily available and made better jack-o'-lanterns than turnips. Eventually, candles replaced the burning coals. Today, you might use a battery-operated candle or a flashlight inside your jack-o'-lantern instead.
And now you know a little about the history of pumpkins ~
Happy Fall Y'all!
