By Alice Aguilar, EAC member
Plan ahead before you shop! Decide the purpose for the pumpkin. Will it be carved into a jack-o-lantern? Or will it be left whole for both decorative and creative use?
Support Local farmers, churches, schools and local organizations – Purchase your pumpkins and gourds from them!
After Halloween, what do I do with my pumpkins
and gourds?
Holiday Décor: Transform uncarved pumpkins into Thanksgiving centerpieces or outdoor planters for fall flowers. How? Slice off the top, scoop out the seeds and place a vase of fresh or dried flowers inside.
Eat them: Bake pumpkin bread or make pumpkin pie. You may also make a pumpkin puree, which is a creamy, nutritious base for soup, stews, smoothies and desserts. Puree can even be frozen for later use. Roast the seeds
for a snack!
Compost them: Cut pumpkins into quarters or smaller pieces to aid in decomposition. And because they are composed mostly of water, they will transform into compost more quickly!
Feed your Chickens: Feed the backyard critters like birds, butterflies, squirrels and deer. I put my pumpkins in the yard next to my compost bin so it can soften for “critter consumption.”
Donate them to Local Farms: Whole or carved pumpkins are great source of nutrients for pigs, chickens, goats, sheep and cows.
Be creative and keep pumpkins and gourds out of the landfill!