Halloween brings to mind trick or treating, haunted houses, scary movies and of course, pumpkin carving! It was great to see many of you picking out pumpkins at the patch the past two weekends and now that you’ve got your pumpkins home we thought we’d share some tips and tricks for carving them.
Many people start by cutting the top of the pumpkin to remove the seeds and guts. Consider carving the hole in the bottom of the pumpkin instead. This will help with stability if the pumpkin has any lumps and bumps on the bottom that would cause it to roll or tip while carving. It is also easier to illuminate the pumpkin by lighting the candle and then placing the pumpkin over it instead of trying to put a lit candle through the top of the pumpkin or reaching in to light the candle from the top of the pumpkin. A serrated knife works well for cutting the hole in the pumpkin. A metal scoop or spoon is best for removing the guts. Or, stop in and visit us at the market for ALL your pumpkin carving needs! We have carving kits, patterns, paints/glitter, a gutting tool that goes on the end of a drill and so much more – all at 25% OFF. Also, don’t toss the seeds, try the pumpkin seed recipe from the recipe section below!
Mold and dehydration are the two main reasons a pumpkin will rot, and even though we are not too far away from Halloween night here are some tips for preserving your carved pumpkin. Applying Vaseline to the carved areas and the inside of the pumpkin will help keep the pumpkin from drying out and will slow the molding process. There are also pumpkin preservation sprays that can be used or make your own bleach/water concoction and spray the pumpkin daily – the bleach will combat the mold and the water will keep the pumpkin from drying out. Please note that even with preservation precautions a carved pumpkin won’t last much longer than a week. The only idea we have for trying to deter pumpkin smashers is dressing as the character from the movie Scream and hiding in the bushes!
Most of us old school types use a tealight or votive candle to light our pumpkins but consider other fun options as well. Rainbow LED’s, color changing strobe lights or (if close to an outlet) a strand of Christmas lights are great choices!
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