I like produce. I like to grow it. I like to eat it. I like to create recipes with it. I’m also kind of a nerd and like to get to know my produce. I like learning new or fun tidbits of info about the produce I’m growing/eating/baking. If you’re a weirdo like me then buckle up for this new series as I dive into a plethora of produce facts and share them with you. Here we go:
1. 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown each year. Yes, BILLION with 80 percent of the pumpkin crop in the U.S. available during October.
1. 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown each year. Yes, BILLION with 80 percent of the pumpkin crop in the U.S. available during October.
Recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping
2. The tradition of carving pumpkins originated in Ireland. The Irish would carve jack-o-lanterns out of turnips to scare away evil spirits during the Celtic holiday Samhain, the night when spirits of the dead would walk the earth.
3. Pumpkins belong to the cucurbitacae family so their relatives are melons and cucumbers.
Recipe for Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili
4. People used to believe that pumpkins had the ability to remove freckles and cure snake bites. Sad to think how they came to realize that they don’t actually help a snake bite! :/
5. Pumpkins may look all big and tough, but they are actually pretty delicate. Once they get bruised or the skin is punctured, bugs and organisms are quick to attack.
Recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
6. Each pumpkin has approximately 500 seeds {and they are sooo yummy roasted and actually contain more protein than peanuts}.
7. Antarctica is the only continent that does not grow pumpkins.
Recipe for Pumpkin Risotto
8. The largest pumpkin pie ever weighed in at 3,699 pounds and was 20 feet around. I wonder if the people in New Bremen, Ohio are still eating those leftovers 10 years later?!
9. The name “pumpkin” stems from the Greek word “pepon,” which translates to large melon.
Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Waffles
10. The heaviest pumpkin recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records weighed in at 2,032 pounds and was grown in Napa, California. Can you imagine how many seeds that pumpkin had?!
Had you heard any of those fun facts before? Do you have any of your own to add? Is there a particular produce item you want to know more about? I take requests!
Grow on,
Mavis
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Vicki says
My grandsons are carving pumpkins at their other grandmother’s house tomorrow. They’re more excited about me roasting their pumpkin seeds, though!
tracy says
Have you watched “Kew on a plate” – it is a great garden show that tells the history of the items they are growing. I found it /www.hortustv.com it is a great website where you can watch garden shows.
Mavis Butterfield says
Thank you!
Gigi says
I learned that Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state.
Lissa says
Is there anything one can do with a green pumpkin that hasn’t ripened yet? Hard freezes are coming and I have a beautiful unripe pumpkin still on the vine.
Lace Faerie says
Here’s an article on what to do with unripe pumpkins:
http://pumpkinnook.com/howto/ripening.htm