Pies, Jack O'Lanterns, and Pumpkin Spice! It's the time of year where it's all pumpkin all the time! Celebrate National Pumpkin Day October 26th with us by learning more about this beloved gourd!
5 PUMPKIN FACTS
- Pumpkins are actually fruits! Pumpkins come from the flowers of their plants. That makes them fruits. But they are also squash and gourds!
- Takes between 90 and 120 days to reach maturity.
- 95% of all US pumpkins are grown in Illinois
- The heaviest pumpkin ever grown in the United States weighed 2,528 lbs. It was grown by Steve Geddes of New Hampshire in 2018.
- Jack-o’-lanterns may have originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” Read more about Stingy Jack HERE
5 PUMPKIN JOKES
- Why do pumpkins sit on people’s porches? – They have no hands to knock on the door.
- What does a queasy pumpkin say? "I don't feel so gourd."
- What did the pumpkin say to its carver? Cut it out!
- What do you get when you drop a pumpkin? Squash.
- What do pumpkins say when they haven't see each other in a while? "It's gourd to see you!"
5 WAYS TO CELEBRATE PUMPKINS
- Go to a pumpkin patch and pick out some pumpkins. Find pumpkin patches on our calendar look for the 🎃 emoji!
- Have a pumpkin carving party with family and friends
- Roast pumpkin seeds - save the ones from the pumpkins that you carve.
- Make pumpkin recipes.
- Enjoy many of the pumpkin spice items available!
