Picking the perfect pumpkin
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URBANA -- The tradition of
Halloween jack-o'-lanterns goes back to the Irish, who originally
carved big turnips into jack-o'-lanterns, said Ron Wolford, a
University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator based in
"With the influx of Irish immigrants
into the United States, pumpkins became the fruit of choice for
carving; and yes, pumpkins are a fruit, not a vegetable," he said.
Pumpkins are grown all over the world,
including the state of Illinois. They are grown on every continent
except for Antarctica.
"As a matter of fact, Morton, Ill.,
calls itself the 'Pumpkin Capital of the World,'" Wolford noted.
"The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed over 1,140 pounds. That may
be a little too big for a jack-o'-lantern."
Pumpkins are used to make pies, soups
and breads. The biggest pumpkin pie ever made was over 5 feet in
diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It took over 80 pumpkins to
make the pie. The seeds can be roasted for a delicious snack, and
the large pumpkin flowers are edible.
Pumpkins are 90 percent water and
contain potassium and Vitamin A.
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Wolford recommends the following few
tips for selecting that perfect pumpkin:
Choose a pumpkin with a stem, but
never carry it by the stem. Pumpkins without a stem will not last
Select a pumpkin with a flat bottom,
so it will stand upright
Avoid pumpkins with holes, cuts or
soft spots. These areas will rot.
Light-colored pumpkins are easier to
carve because the skin is not as hard as darker orange-colored
ones, but they will not keep as well.
Wash the pumpkin with warm water and
let it dry before carving.
To make the pumpkin last longer, keep
it in a cool place until ready to carve. After carving, coat the
cuts with petroleum jelly.
For more information about pumpkins and
a listing of local pumpkin farms, check out the website “Pumpkins
and More” at
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins or call (773) 233-0476.
[University of Illinois news