It's officially October, the month when pumpkins finally get the attention they deserve. As a tribute to pumpkins, here are five fun facts to spark your fall fever.
1. Pumpkins Have a Long History in America
Pumpkins are indigenous to the Western Hemisphere and have been grown in North America for thousands of years. According to cultural information provided by Yale, Native Americans uses pumpkins not only as a food source, but to make mats and instruments as well. The Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma would use flat, dry strips of pumpkin to weave mats during the harvesting season. In addition, Iroquoic tribe members would fill gutted pumpkins with seeds in order to make rattle instruments.
2. Every Few Years Someone Breaks The World Record For Biggest Pumpkin Pie
Every year since 2003, the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers host a Pumpkinfest in New Bremen, Ohio during the Fall season. They've set the world record for largest pumpkin pie twice. They currently hold the world record from 2010 when they baked a pie weighing 3,699 pounds. The pie was 20 feet wide and used 440 sheets of dough to make the crust and 1,212 pounds of canned pumpkin, 2,796 eggs, 109 gallons of evaporated milk, 525 pounds of sugar, seven pounds of salt and 14.5 pounds of cinnamon to make the filling. Still searching for pictures of Ohio children swimming in it.
3. There Are Some ~Weird~ Pumpkin Spice Favored Items Out There
By now, we are all veterans of the pumpkin spice craze and understand the extent of its hand in escalating the fall fever. Therefore, it shouldn't be all that surprising that the pumpkin spice flavor has infiltrated so many our products. There are pumpkin spiced dog treats, salsas, jello, pumpkin spice flavored milk and whey blends... there's a pretty good chance pumpkin spice runs through our blood, too.
4. There Are Entire Communities of Giant Pumpkin Enthusiasts
There are dozens upon dozens of giant pumpkin clubs throughout the U.S. One giant pumpkin club based out of Utah has a statement on their website stating, "This is competitive pumpkin-growing and its practitioners call it alternately a sport and an addiction." If that doesn't demonstrate how serious people can be about pumpkins, taking a look at the different types of Giant Pumpkin festivities will. Giant pumpkin art festivities allows artists to turn giant pumpkins into zombies, "Despicable Me" minions, and Jabba the Hutt. Other festivals have competitive Giant Pumpkin Regattas where people paddle across a lake while sitting in a hollowed-out giant pumpkin. My personal favorite, though, is with the Utah Giant Pumpkin club's Giant Pumpkin Drop where a crane lifts up a giant pumpkin and drops it on cars, pianos, and giant water balloons.
5. Pumpkins Come in Colors Other Than Orange
Although we typically associate pumpkins with the color orange, pumpkins can actually grow in a variety of colors. There are Casper-the-Friendly-Ghost color pumpkins (white pumpkins) and pumpkins that appear blue/grey. There are pumpkins the color of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, and pumpkins in pink or yellow. So, if you're feeling extra festive this fall, try going beyond the classic orange and up your game with some pumpkin diversity.
