Jack-o-Lantern

Early Jack-o-lanterns were carved from turnips and potatoes by the Irish and Scottish and carried in Celtic celebrations. They were named after the strange lights that sometimes flickered over peat bogs. The English used beets for their lanterns.  Lumps of coal were lit on fire and placed inside the hollow root vegetables. When European settlers arrived in America, they found that our American pumpkin varieties were well suited to being carved as a “Jack’s” lanterns.

Well this wraps up my “Month of Pumpkins!” I was surprised to learn there are so many varieties of pumpkin! I looked at forty five! The Pumpkin that got away, so to speak, that I wanted to find was the “Big Red Warty Thing” Pumpkin! But, no one had one! Maybe next year! I hope you enjoyed the Month of Pumpkins!

The American Tonda Pumpkin

These are very unusual looking pumpkins! They are deeply ribbed and the outer portion of the rib is dark green. Inside they are a golden orange which turns more yellow as they mature. It is strikingly attractive and stores well.

Hooligan Pumpkin

These little guys are tiny and so cute! They are light gold in color with dark orange speckling between the ribs. They are edible and make great little individual soup serving bowls.

Jaune Gros de Paris Pumpkin

This is the beautiful, giant pumpkin of historic Paris! The big pinkish-yellow fruit can grow to over 100 pounds! They are round, flattened and have light ribbing and are good keepers! Very popular in France, this pumpkin is good in pies, and soups with a good taste for cooking. It is yellow all the way through and can be a bit on the watery side, so be sure to concentrate your puree before adding it to your recipe!

The Pumpkins on a Quilt

More ladder back chairs and a great pumpkin display! Look what you can do with an old worn out quilt! If there are holes in the quilt just cover them with the display!

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Porch

I Love red antique chairs!  I use red ladder-back chairs for Fall and old red rockers for Christmas! So versatile! These Pumpkins are Luminas and Baby Bear!