Fun Pumpkin FAQS ~ 2011

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History of the Pumpkin


Pumpkins are believed to have originated in North America. Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico dating back to 7000 to 5500 B.C.

References to pumpkins date back many centuries. The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for "large melon" which is "pepon." "Pepon" was changed by the French into "pompon." The English changed "pompon" to "Pumpion." American colonists changed "pumpion" into "pumpkin."

Native American Indians used pumpkin as a staple in their diets centuries before the pilgrims landed. They also dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. Indians would also roast long strips of pumpkin on the open fire and eat them. When white settlers arrived, they saw the pumpkins grown by the Indians and pumpkin soon became a staple in their diets. As today, early settlers used them in a wide variety of recipes from desserts to stews and soups. The origin of pumpkin pie is thought to have occurred when the colonists sliced off the pumpkin top, removed the seeds, and then filled it with milk, spices and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in the hot ashes of a dying fire.

When European settlers, particularly the Irish, arrived in America they found the native pumpkin to be larger, easier to carve and seemed the perfect choice for jack-o-lanterns. Halloween didn't really catch on big in this country until the late 1800's and has been celebrated in many ways ever since!











Origination Unknown

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FUN PUMPKIN FAQS

• A pumpkin is really a squash ~ It's a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash & cucumbers.
• pumpkins are grown all over the world ~ 6 OF the 7 continents can grow pumpkins including Alaska. Antarctica is the only continent that they won't grow in.
• The "pumpkin capital" of the world is Morton, Illinois ~ This self proclaimed pumpkin capital is where you'll find the home of the Libby corps. pumpkin industry.
• The Irish brought the tradition of pumpkin carving to America ~ The tradition originally started with the carving of turnips. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they found pumpkins a plenty & they were much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.
• Pumpkins contain potassium & Vitamin A
• Pumpkin flowers are edible
• The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over 5' in diameter & weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 lbs. of cooked pumpkin, 36 lbs. of sugar, 12 dz. eggs & took 6 hrs. 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 & curing snake bites
• The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 lbs
• The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin
• Pumpkins are 90 percent water
• 80% of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October
• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them & made mats
• Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash"
• Native Americans used pumpkins seeds for food & medicine

Origination Unknown

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Standard Orange:

• Grows between 2 to 5 lbs.
• Baby Bear ( small, flattened shape; fine stem )
• Baby Pam; Oz ( hybrid, very smooth skin, immature yellow color )
• Small Sugar or New England Pie ( standard pie type )
• Spooktacular ( hybrid; bright orange; ribbed )
• Sugar Treat ( hybrid; bright color )
• Winter Luxury ( old variety, good for cooking; unique netted skin )

Standard Orange:

• Grows between 8 to 15 lbs.
• Autumn Gold ( hybrid, yellow when immature )
• Bushkin ( hybrid )
• Frosty ( hybrid; smooth-textured skin )
• Funny Face ( hybrid )
• Harvest Moon ( hybrid )
• Jack-o-Lantern
• Spirit ( hybrid, semi-bush )
• Young's Beauty

Standard Orange:

• Grows between 15 to 25 lbs
• Aspen ( hybrid, deep orange, uniformly large )
• Big Autumn ( hybrid, yellow when mature )
• Big Tom
• Connecticut Field ( old standard )
• Ghost Rider ( dark orange; very dark green stem )
• Happy Jack ( uniform, dark orange )
• Howden Field ( industry standard for the last 20 yrs. )
• Jackpot ( hybrid; round )
• Jumpin' Jack ( large, dark orange, heavy, tall )
• Pankow's Field ( large, variable pumpkins with exceptionally large, long stems )
• Rouge Vif d'Estampes ( deep red-orange, flattened, heavily sutured. It was the prototype for Cinderella's carriage pumpkin & is sometimes sold as "Cinderella" pumpkin. )

Jumbo Pumpkins:

• Grows between 50 - 100 lbs plus
• Atlantic Giant ( most true giants come from this variety )
• Big Max
• Big Moon
• Mammoth Gold
• Prizewinner

Miniature Pumpkins:

• Baby Boo ( white )
• Jack-Be-Little ( standard orange miniature )
• Jack-Be-Quick ( taller, darker orange )
• Munchkin ( uniform, attractive orange )
• Sweetie Pie ( small, scalloped, medium orange )

White Painting:

• Casper
• Lumina
• Snowball
• Little Boo

Cushaw Group:

• Green-Striped Cushaw
• Sweet Potato
• Tennessee
• White Cushaw
• Golden Cushaw

Naked - Seeded:

• Trick or Treat ( Hybrid, 10 - 20 lbs, good for carving )
• Tricky Jack ( hybrid; small )
• Triple Treat ( thick flesh; 6 to 8 pounds; cooks, carves well )

Types for canning and cooking:

• Buckskin ( hybrid )
• Chelsey ( hybrid )
• Dickinson ( Field )
• Kentucky ( Field )

Origination Unknown