Pumpkin, squash and member of the Cucurbita family also includes squash and cucumbers. Pumpkins are grown on six continents, including Alaska. The Antarctic is the only continent that they won’t grow. Morton, Illinois is the self-proclaimed pumpkin capital and is the home of Libby Corporation’s pumpkin industry. 

The Irish brought the tradition of pumpkin carving to America. This tradition originally began with the carving of turnips, but when the Irish immigrated to the US, they found pumpkins were plentiful and much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.

Fun Facts about Pumpkin!

• Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
• Pumpkin flowers are edible.
• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
• In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
• Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
• The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
• The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin.
• Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
• Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
• Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash."
• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.

Recipe

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Classic Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup water

Cut shortening into flour and salt until dough appears crumbly. Add water a little at a time, until it can be gathered into a ball. Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don’t over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe. It will be very flaky.

Pumpkin, squash and member of the Cucurbita family also includes squash and cucumbers. Pumpkins are grown on six continents, including Alaska. The Antarctic is the only continent that they won’t grow. Morton, Illinois is the self-proclaimed pumpkin capital and is the home of Libby Corporation’s pumpkin industry. 

The Irish brought the tradition of pumpkin carving to America. This tradition originally began with the carving of turnips, but when the Irish immigrated to the US, they found pumpkins were plentiful and much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.

Fun Facts about Pumpkin!

• Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
• Pumpkin flowers are edible.
• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
• In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
• Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
• The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
• The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin.
• Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
• Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
• Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash."
• Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.

Recipe

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Classic Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup water

Cut shortening into flour and salt until dough appears crumbly. Add water a little at a time, until it can be gathered into a ball. Roll out dough on a floured counter. Don’t over work it. Use as directed in pie recipe. It will be very flaky.