Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Pumpkin news this Halloween 2008


Where are all the Jack-o-Lanterns in 2008?

What could have been a great year for pumpkin farmers in the Midwest, has turned into a drip-dry growing season that started with drought conditions, and ended with flooding conditions which destroyed much of the U.S. inventory that would have found its way to street vendors and churches with local pumkpin patches.

"We don't have the numbers and they are definitely smaller," says Camie Goetsch, owner of Green Acres Farm Market at the corner of U.S. 31 and Lake Michigan Drive in Grand Haven. "We are known for big, quality pumpkins. Everyone comes from miles away for our pumpkins. Our pumpkins this year are big, but not what we normally have," said Goetsch, who expects to sell 20,000 to 30,000 pumpkins supplied by two local farms.

Goetsch plans to absorb the loss herself. "Thank-you!"

"I have a hard time charging more to the public because I depend on repeat business," she said. The market usually sells out a week before Halloween, but this year she expects her pumpkins to disappear even earlier. The presence of so many pumpkins so early at area farmer's markets leave some wondering whether the jack-o-lanterns will hold out for Halloween.

As these sentiments are expressed across the great pumpkin patches where you live, don't fear. There has always been more than we need, and in these times of quality over quantity, this year would be a great time to start a tradidtion of pumpkins usage that takes from the Earth, and gives back to the world a great experience in holiday fun.

Walking Napoleon in Autumn
Just because you may not find that "holy-cow" pumpkin in your local church pumkin patch, take your time to consider that the whole gourd is usable for Halloween. Pick a nice one for Jack-o-lanterns. Carve it so that a great light is glowing from within, and then bake the pumkins seeds and eat them after. This is how to use a Pumpkin for Halloween.

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