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Fall is here and that means pumpkins! Pumpkin food, decorating, smashing and picking. To celebrate, we have compiled a list of fun pumpkin facts and included a super simple pie recipe.
Fun Pumpkin Facts
Plus The EASIEST Pumpkin Pie Recipe you will ever make!
Pumpkins are a very versatile fruit. You heard it right… fruit! Although pumpkin is consumed year-round, it tends to be a more popular choice in the fall. Whether it’s jack-o’-lanterns in October or traditional pumpkin pie in November, people of all ages can’t get enough of these bright orange Halloween must haves.
If you are already aware that pumpkins are fruit, congratulations! It’s time to put yourself to the real test. Be honest. How many of the following fun pumpkin facts are new to you?
Jack-o’-lantern History
The tradition of carving a jack-o’-lantern is said to come from Ireland. Believe it or not, the first jack-o’-lanterns were simply faces carved into root vegetables such as beets and turnips.
Pumpkin Writing
You can actually write a name or draw a picture on a pumpkin when it’s small and watch the words or picture get bigger, as the pumpkin grows. It’s best to do this when the pumpkin is approximately the size of a tennis ball. If you’re using a variety the grows to be quite large, you may want to wait until the fruit is the size of a basketball.
The best way to do this is to write on the pumpkin with a marker first. Next, poke along the lines with a sharp object. Don’t allow much space between the dots and only poke hard enough to lightly break the skin.
Pumpkin Cures
Pumpkin has been said to get lighten freckles, moisturize lips and even remove the poison from a snake bite! Of course, there’s no official data to back up those claims so please do not let a Rattler bite you just to find out. One thing that pumpkin has been used for years to prevent is worms in livestock. Simply grind up the seeds and feed to chicken and pigs. They LOVE pumpkin.
Pumpkin Flowers
Many people are surprised to learn that pumpkin flowers are edible. One of the most common ways to prepare them is stuffed and fried. You should always soak them first, to remove things like bugs, dirt and pollen. If you aren’t growing pumpkins, then zucchini and other squash blossoms are edible as well!
There are both male and female pumpkin flowers. Female flowers have what looks like a tiny pumpkin at their base. Male flowers, which are the pollinators, stand up tall on a long stem.
Pumpkin Colors
Pumpkins are available in colors other than traditional orange. Here are just a few unusual varieties:
- Fairytale – green when immature, mahogany when ripe
- Red Warty Thing – bright red, with “warts” on skin
- One Too Many – creamy color, with orange specks and stripes
- Cinderella – resembles Cinderella’s carriage, cream or tan color
Pumpkin Chunking and Pumpkin Art
Pumpkin chunking is the act of propelling a pumpkin as far as possible, using a homemade contraption of some sort. What started as a small (local) event has turned into a world-champion spectator sport.
During fall across the country there are often many pumpkin festivals to be found, including one that celebrates decorating WITH pumpkins. Not the traditional decorating of the pumpkin- but using the pumpkins to make animals, cartoon characters and more.
These are just a few interesting and fun pumpkin facts, how many of them did you know about and how many of them are a surprise? The Great Pumpkin wants to know, use the comment form below to give us your fun pumpkin facts.
Now try our super amazing, EASY Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe. It is absolutely the easiest pie you will ever make.
Ingredients:
- 1 9″ store bought crust
Preheat oven to 425.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs until fluffy.
Add all other ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour into pie shell, place on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350, continue to bake until pie is set up – about 40 minutes.
If you like a lighter crust edge, cover edges with foil.
Allow pie to cool completely before slicing, best if made day before.
Want another great pumpkin recipe? Try our Pumpkin Swirl Coffee Cake
Laurie says
Just another fun fact, 95% of the pumpkins that are processed here in the United States are grown in Illinois. Great facts, I hadn’t heard about the one regarding pumpkin writing. Thanks for sharing!