Picking Pumpkins at the Farm

October 9, 2017

With Halloween just weeks away, it’s pumpkin picking time here at my farm!

I have a large pumpkin and winter squash patch that's planted in early June every year. It is located behind the vegetable gardens and chicken coops. We also plant seeds in a smaller area near my main greenhouse and cutting garden. Many of the seeds are from our favorite seed companies, and some from interesting and tasty fruits I’ve enjoyed in years past. By late September and early October, they're ready to be harvested. Last week, Ryan and Wilmer were busy picking pumpkins ahead of some expected rain.

Take a look at our bounty and enjoy these photos.

: This pumpkin patch is spacious and in an area that receives lots of full sun. The large leaves cover most of the cucurbits as they form, so it is hard to see the beauties underneath.

: Under all the foliage, there are many wonderful pumpkins. ‘Rival’ is blocky and beautiful. This variety is a round, medium-sized jack-o’-lantern type with intermediate resistance to powdery mildew.

: The pumpkins are ready to harvest when the foliage on the vines begins to wither and turn brown.

: The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’ which means large melon. The pumpkin is a cucurbit, a member of the Curcurbitaceae family, which also includes squash, cucumbers, watermelon and cantaloupes.

: Pumpkin seeds should be planted between the last week of May and the middle of June. They take between 90 and 120 days to grow. Their seeds can be saved to grow new pumpkins the next year.

: Wilmer is pleased with some of the great pumpkins that grew this year.

: It’s important to leave a stem. Leaving at least a couple of inches of stem will increase its keeping time. I also think the pumpkins look much better when the stems are intact.

: Wilmer and Ryan also picked a lot of gourds.

: ‘Autumn Wings’ gourds, Cucurbita pepo, is a collection of brightly colored ornamental gourds. They come in a mix of shapes and are perfect for Halloween decorating.

: Gourds come in unique shapes, including this one with a long, crooked neck.

: The colors can range from cream and yellow to green and bicolored.

: Ryan placed many of the smaller specimens into crates, so they could be transported.

: Larger pumpkins were placed on top of a moving blanket in the back of our Polaris Ranger. We have such a wonderful variety, including traditional orange pumpkins for Halloween.

: Some of the pumpkins are carefully tossed over the electric fence and then placed into the back of the ATV.

: We grow some pumpkins and squash from heirloom seeds. Heirlooms are old-time varieties, open-pollinated instead of hybrid, and saved and handed down through multiple generations of families.

: This year, the majority of our seeds came from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Whenever I can, I also like to use seeds I’ve saved from interesting or tasty pumpkins I’ve enjoyed. https://www.johnnyseeds.com

: Look at all the different colors and shapes. Many are cultivated for their witch and goblin-like appearances, such as the one in the center with all its many warts.

: In just a short amount of time, the Polaris was filled with a variety of pumpkins, and ornamental gourds. ‘Moonshine’ is a wonderful small-medium, white pumpkin. It’s very uniform, smooth-skinned and perfect for decorating or carving.

: Several loads were taken to my Winter House for display.

: Ryan and Wilmer filled the stone wall with lots and lots of pumpkins. Modern pumpkins grow commercially in the United States, China, Mexico, and India. Farmers in the United States grow more than a billion pounds annually, with Illinois growing the most.

: Each one is wiped with a damp cloth to remove any of the dirt and debris left from the garden.

: Look at our wonderful bounty.

: Simply lining them up is a great way to decorate with pumpkins – vary the colors and shapes, or keep like ones together.

: After displaying the pumpkins in the fall, scoop out the large, dark-green, hull-less seeds, which are delicious roasted. The seeds also yield savory oil.