Pumpkin Fun Facts!

• 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.