Picking Season: October
Grab a wagon!
Grab a wagon from our wagon coral to carry pumpkins and/or your kids. No baskets or bags are required. After picking, have your pumpkins weighed at our weigh station in the Marketplace.
Picking Tips:
- Harvest pumpkins when they have developed a deep uniform color and a hard rind.
- Look for firm orange pumpkins without soft spots. Pumpkins with some green color will ripen to orange by Halloween.
- Smaller pumpkins will have better flavor for pies and cooking.
- Look for good firm handles but do NOT carry your pumpkin by the handle as they may break off. Use two hands.
- Break or cut the stem near the top of the fruit leaving a 3-4" handle on the pumpkins.
Nutritional Value:
- Pumpkins are a healthy addition to the diet as they are rich in phosphorous, calcium, iron and Vitamins A & C.
- The bright orange color of a pumpkin indicates it is loaded with an important anti-oxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. |
Pumpkin Bread:
| 3 c. sugar |
2 tsp. salt |
| 1 c. vegetable oil |
1 tsp. cinnamon |
| 4 eggs |
1 tsp. nutmeg |
| 16 oz. canned or pureed pumpkin |
1 tsp. allspice |
| 3 1/2 c. flour |
2/3 c. water |
| 1 tsp. baking powder |
1 c. chopped nuts |
| 2 tsp. baking soda |
1 c. raisins (opt.) |
1. Beat sugar, oil and eggs for 1 minute. Scrape bowl and beat 10 seconds more.
2. Add pumpkin, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and raisins (if desired). Mix 30 seconds on low. Scrape sides.
3. Add water and nuts. Mix on low 20 seconds until all combined.
4. Pour batted into 2 loaf pans which have been greased and floured.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse seeds.
2. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water. Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain.
3. Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the pan, in one layer. Bake on top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your liking, remove the pan and cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way before eating. Either crack to remove inner seed or eat whole.
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