8/7/2019 Pumpkin Newsletter

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Pumpkin TOD

Consumer Newsletter for All Things Pumpkin

Fast FourFour facts to sucpumpkins

1. Plant pumpkor rows, leavingeet between pldirection.

2. Pumpkins neo water a week

3. Rotate pumpthem symmetri

4. You can save

aer harvestinguse or the nextseeds rom feshand keep in a coaway rom sun.

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Kids’ Challenge 

Harvesting Pumpkins, Storing Seeds 

Photograph by

Photo Courtesy of Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm

Photo Courtesy of Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm

The quintessential fall vegetable is,

of course, the pumpkin. It ishelpful to know how to harvest thisspecial squash and the best way tosave seeds for the next season.

Pumpkins are fairly easy to grow and, depending on variety, you cangrow small, tender pumpkins allthe way up to pumpkins that weighmore than 200 pounds. ForHalloween fun, consider a jack-o’-lantern variety such as ‘ConnecticutField’, and for making pies, use asmaller, sweeter variety like thesugar pumpkin.

To harvest and storepumpkins:

If foliage is shading the pumpkin,cut it back so that the pumpkin willripen quicker.

Leave the pumpkin on the vine untilit has reached the color you want.Once it’s picked, the color will stopdeveloping.

Pumpkins are ready to be cut fromthe vine when a ngernail cannotpenetrate the skin; the skin shouldfeel hard, almost like a shell.

If you don’t want to cut thepumpkins, you can simply let thevine die back and pick them at yourleisure. Most people want thembefore that time, though.

Another sign that a pumpkin is

ready to be harvested is that thestem starts to crack.

When harvesting, wear glovesbecause the stem can be very prickly. Use a sharp knife to cut thepumpkin from the vine. Try to leavea handle of at least four inches onthe pumpkin. Handle carefully toavoid cuts and bruises.

Don’t carry pumpkins by theirstems; the stem might not be able tosupport the weight and might break off.

After cutting, expose thepumpkin to the sun for 10 days tocure it. This hardens the skin sothat it forms a barrier and losesmoisture more slowly, thereforeenabling it to sit longer. While

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Chris Dawson

Photograph by Krista Scarbrough

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The Bishops rely heavily on word of mouth to advertise their pumpkins.Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm recently began the use of Social Media toolslike Facebook to better promote thefarm. “It’s the biggest form of communication right now,” Bishopsaid. “I created ours last summer,and already notice that word of mouth went up with Facebook.”

The average percentage of cropfrom the farm sold each year isbetween 60-70%. Any left overpumpkins are used to feed theanimals on the farm or donated tocharities. “I expect [pumpkin]consumption to increase incoming years, largely frompopulation growth,” Bishop said.

Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm changed

its hours last season toaccommodate the high demand of recent years. “People wouldn’t leavewhen we closed, so we thoughtit was best to extend the hours,”Bishop said. “They might as wellspend money if they’re here.”

Farm hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. inSeptember and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. inOctober. Admission is free; parkingis free weekdays and $10 per car onweekends.

The pumpkin farm, at 1415Pumpkin Lane, begins its six-week pumpkin-selling season Sept. 1 andwill stay open through Oct. 31. Thebakery remains open to pie ordersthrough Thanksgiving.

Kids- Use your creativity to color the pumpkin!

8/7/2019 Pumpkin Newsletter

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Dress up a room by pumpkin garland. Uto pierce a hole thouassortment of mini toothpick to pierce fstring several leaves

followed by a singlesure to tie a knot aftso it stays in place. Cstringing the items ttwine, alternating bpumpkins and leavestrung a garland lonhang. Display your cwindow, across a ma banister.

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Farm Feature  Simple Recipes Craft Corn

Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm inWheatland, CA is an annualfamily favorite during the fallseason. Visits by families and grade-school classes have become a yearly tradition, helping those withoutagricultural backgroundsexperience how the farm operates.

Visitors have the opportunity tolearn fun facts about pumpkins,while participating in the activitiesof the farm. “It’s fun when peoplelearn how to make their own littlepumpkin patch,” said MeghanBishop, a third generation memberof the farm. People leave the farmmore aware of pumpkin qualities. “Iwould want consumers to know thata pumpkin is a fruit, not avegetable, which is a commonmistake,” Bishop said.

While educational, the farm

retains a whimsical atmospherewith entertainment including pick-your-own pumpkins, pig races, apetting zoo, hayrides, a sunowerlabyrinth and train rides. “It is likea cross between a pumpkin patchand a playground,” said Bishop.

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Krista Scarbrough

Courtney Wilson

Other annual events include aPumpkin Walk to benet theAmerican Red Cross and ascarecrow contest. A recent additionto the farm is a ower garden thatopened for the 2010 season.

The family- owned pumpkin farmbegan operation in 1973 with asmall two- acre plot of land and hassince expanded into 45 acres. Thepumpkin elds include three blocksfor general customers, one block forschool visits, and one block reserved for family and staff use.The Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm staff consists of six year- roundemployees, including family members spanning threegenerations, and increases toapproximately 300 people duringpumpkin season.

The Bishops begin planting inmid-June and potentially harvestthrough November. The success of each season depends upon weather.

“If it rains, people don’t come inorder to avoid the bad weather,”Bishop said. “We noticed a hugedrop in sales in 2010 because of three horribly rainy days, duringwhat would normally be our busiestweekends.”

Photo and recipe courtesy of Bishop’sPumpkin Farm

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

Cooking Instructions:

Beat half and half and pie llingmix in large mixing bowl with wire

whisk 1 minute. Let stand 5 min-utes. Fold in topping and remain-ing ingredients; spoon into crust.Freeze until rm. Let stand at roomtemperature 10 minutes to soften.Store in freezer until ready to serve.

Ingredients:

◊ 1 ½ c. cold half and half or milk 

◊ 1 (4-serving size) pkg.vanilla

◊ instant pudding and pielling

◊ 3 ½ c. (8 oz.) whippedtopping, thawed

◊ 1 c. each: chopped pecansand gingersnaps

◊ ½ c. pumpkin◊ 1 ½ Tbsp. pumpkin pie

spice◊ 1 packaged graham

cracker crumb crust

curing, if a frost threatens, coverthe pumpkins at night with hay or oating row covers, available atgarden centers. Store at about 50to 60 degrees. At this temperature,they will last for about six months.

When storing pumpkins, don’t stack them. When the skins of pumpkins

touch, it can cause bruising and

rotting. Immediately remove andthrow out any pumpkins that show signs of decay. Remove any leftovervines and put them on a compostpile.

If you want to use your pumpkinimmediately, there’s no need tocure it. Simply cut it open or cut off the top and scoop out the seeds andber, and it’s ready for a pie or ajack-o’-lantern.

Photo Courtesy of Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm Photograph by Krista Scarbrough

Pretty Pumpkin

Pumpkin Cooked, Boiled,

Drained, Without Salt

“It is like a cross between 

a pumpkin patch and a 

playground.” - Meghan Bishop,

Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm 

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