Pumpkin season brightens landscape across Lakes Region

By Kendra Raymond

Once the leaves begin to change, pumpkins seem to appear on doorsteps, porches, as table center pieces, and as spooky jack-o-lanterns. The fall harvest is an iconic season filled with coziness and color, and pumpkins can be the most eye-catching part of any fall décor.

Raymond resident Kris Raymond and her dog
Songo look for the perfect pumpkin at a
local patch in the Lakes Region.
PHOTO BY KENDRA RAYMOND  

Cathryn Anderson is the Education Department director at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. She says that it’s a good year for pumpkins and that demand can vary a lot. The pick-your-own patch yields about 600 pumpkins a year and is popular with the residents.

“We see lots of groups and people coming in as a family. Fall is a busy time and there are a lot of activities related to the season,” she said.

Because pumpkins are so plentiful in the fall, often many go to waste or are discarded after Halloween. Aside from the typical uses of pumpkins, there are many varied uses of the crop, which is technically a fruit, and is not a vegetable. Cucumbers, gourds, melons, and squash are also part of this family.

For those of you interested in finding creative uses of your fall pumpkins, fortunately there are many options.

Cooking

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Bulletin 4176 says, “The deep yellow to deep orange colors of pumpkin and winter squash show that they contain carotene, which your body turns into the antioxidant vitamin A.” Pumpkins are also rich in vitamin A, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, and are good source of fiber. Just make sure you use pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins.

Based on all these health benefits, cooking with pumpkins sounds like a pretty good idea. Bread, pie and pumpkin chip cookies are always considered a classic standby. How about something a little less traditional?

Anderson reminds everyone that pumpkins are loaded with fiber and a healthy component of many recipes.

“A lot of our staff eat pumpkins in pies, puddings, or breads,” she said.

Food.com website suggests “Dinner in a Pumpkin,” a creation that includes cooked ground beef, mushrooms, and a variety of spices, all baked inside a pumpkin. Pumpkin soup can be a delicious addition to a fall meal. Even simply roasting pumpkin sections with a little olive oil, brown sugar, rosemary, and walnuts can make a fall-inspired side dish.

Pumpkin puree can be easily prepared by roasting pumpkin pieces and pureeing it in a food processor. The puree can be used in recipes or frozen.

Pumpkin seeds are easily roasted and can provide a healthy snack for you or your pet.

Pets

Pumpkin is a popular and wholesome component of many pet foods. It supports good gut health and keeps your pets regular. Pumpkin can be used to make homemade dog treats, or the puree can simply be added to your pet’s meal – but make sure to check with your veterinarian before making any dietary changes.

According to Anderson, discarded or pumpkin “seconds” can make great livestock feed.

“We work with other farms to share off-grade products to feed to critters,” she said. “Pumpkins can help feed animals after the season.”

Creative uses

The Texas A&M University Today publication “Creative Uses for your Pumpkin Beyond Halloween” lends a multitude of suggestions for anyone looking to think outside of the box. Specialists at the university recommend composting used jack-o-lanterns to provide nutrients for future crops. Other uses include leaving them out for wildlife – remember the beloved children’s book “Mousekin’s Golden House” by Edna Miller? They suggest that a hollowed pumpkin can be used as a planter for a plant or dried flowers. Speaking of animals, how about finding a local farm that has chickens? Evidently, they enjoy eating the pumpkin meat out of the shell, which could provide a green option for the disposal of your pumpkin.

The Lakes Region offers plenty of resources to obtain a fall pumpkin (or more). Just head over to Chipman’s Farm Stand or Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Windy Hill Farm Market in Windham, farmer’s markets, or look for roadside stands. Pumpkins can even be purchased right at local grocery or big box stores.

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers a quick video entitled, “How to Harvest and Store Pumpkins” offers some tips. If harvesting your own, make sure to cleanly cut the stem from the plant with a sharp knife. Pumpkins can be stored in a cool, safe place until ready for use. Green pumpkins can be picked and will ripen off the vine. Pumpkins can last quite a while if harvested correctly.

To learn more about pumpkins from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension visit https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4176e/ <