PUMPKINS ARE ACTUALLY FRUITS NOT  VEGETABLES! PUMPKINS ARE ALSO A TYPE OF WINTER SQUASH. EACH PUMPKIN CONTAINS ABOUT 500 SEEDS! ONCE THEY SPROUT PUMPKINS WILL TAKE ABOUT 90-120 DAYS TO MATURITY. THERE ARE OVER 45 DIFFERENT TYPES OF PUMPKINS. INDIGENOUS NORTH AMERICANS HAVE GROWN PUMPKINS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS-EVEN BEFORE THE CULTIVATION OF BEANS & CORN. ILLINOIS IS THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF PUMPKINS IN THE UNITED STATES. IT HARVESTS TWICE AS MANY PUMPKIN ACRES AS ANY OF THE OTHER TOP-PRODUCING STATES.​ PUMPKINS ARE 92% WATER. THE OLDEST PUMPKIN SEEDS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN MEXICO AND DATE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 7000-5550 B.C. PUMPKIN SEEDS TASTE GREAT ROASTED & EVEN CONTAIN MEDICINAL PROPERTIES. PUMPKIN WAS MOST LIKELY SERVED AT THE FIRST THANKSGIVING IN 1621. PUMPKINS WERE ONCE CONSIDERED A REMEDY FOR FRECKLES & SNAKEBITES. PUMPKINS ARE PACKED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS. PUMPKINS ARE ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOUR HEARING! THE HIGH POTASSIUM CAN HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE & PROTECT AGAINST AGE-RELATED HEARING LOSS! UNCUT PUMPKINS CAN BE STORED UP TO 3 MONTHS IN A COOL DARK DRY PLACE. EARLY AMERICAN SETTLERS OF PLYMOUTH COLONY MADE A PUMPKIN PIE OF SORTS WITHOUT CRUSTS. THEY STEWED PUMPKINS OR FILLED A HOLLOWED OUT PUMPKIN WITH MILK, HONEY & SPICES, THEN BAKED IT IN HOT ASHES. THE FIRST PRINTED SWEET PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE APPEARS IN 1796 IN THE COOKBOOK OF AMERICAN COOKERY & IS ACTUALLY SIMILAR TO THE PIES OF TODAY.