It’s that time of year again when splashes of orange dot the landscape. Pumpkins — whether lying in a vast patch awaiting harvest, displayed for sale on a hay wagon or artistically adorning one’s front porch steps — dominate the season.
When I was little, I hated pumpkin pie. But my palate has evolved with time, and now, I LOVE anything pumpkin! First of all, forget that can of pumpkin puree from the grocery store and go out and purchase some pie pumpkins. Bake them in the oven, scraping out the fresh flesh for pureeing in a blender. Now THAT makes the best pumpkin pie.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins belong to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, and although they are considered a type of squash, not all squashes are considered pumpkins. The term “squash” is very broad, encompassing two distinct groups: summer squash and winter squash. There are hundreds of varieties of squash worldwide, each with its own size, shape, structure, colors, etc., and new hybrids are being developed regularly. Although their outward appearances differ greatly, most belong to the species pepo.
Pumpkins are a variety of winter squash, characterized by their round shape, sturdy orange rind and ribbed skin. Although there are many varieties, one of the oldest and most widely grown is the Connecticut field pumpkin. Having been cultivated long before the American Revolutionary War, it is considered an heirloom variety and is the one most often used for carving Jack-o’-lanterns at Halloween. Connecticut field pumpkins mature between 15 and 25 pounds, with a beautiful shape and smooth surface.
Growing pumpkins
Pumpkins need an area where they can flourish unchecked, due to their ever-growing vines which creep along the ground. They produce broad leaves and sizeable orange flowers which are considered unisexual or incomplete. This simply means that the male and female reproductive organs are found on separate flowers. Referred to as dioecious, pumpkin flowers must rely on cross-pollination in order to produce fruit. In pumpkins, this is accomplished by insects, namely bees.
Perhaps the single most important pollinator of pumpkins is the eastern cucurbit bee (Peponapis pruinosa). This small, native, solitary bee, generally referred to as the “squash bee,” can be found throughout North America specializing in a select group of gourds and squashes. At a half-inch in length, the cucurbit bee is coated with yellow hairs, giving it a fuzzy appearance, enhanced by black and white banding on its abdomen.
Pumpkin pollen is large and sticky, and specialized branched hairs on the female squash bees’ hind legs are designed to carry it efficiently. It is the only type of pollen the bees will feed to their developing young. The bees’ schedules revolve around the flowers, which open first thing in the morning and close before noon. While male bees spend the majority of their time around the blossoms, mating with visiting females, foraging for food and even sleeping among the petals, females spend the afternoons digging their ground nests, up to 18 inches deep, and depositing eggs. After hatching, the larvae feed on the pollen regularly delivered to them by the female who remains in attendance until they pupate in mid-summer.
It is common farmers’ knowledge that a squash field with a flourishing population of squash bees can be successfully pollinated without any need for honeybees. Sadly, populations of eastern cucurbit bees have been rapidly declining in recent years. This drop in numbers is likely due to chemical applications of pesticides, herbicides or both. In addition, heavily tilled fields have proven to be home to markedly fewer individuals. As the population of squash bees crashes, other native solitary bees, as well as bumblebees, may step up to aid in the process of pollination.
Once the flowers have become pollinated, they will begin the process of setting fruit. As pumpkins mature, they boast a thick shell with copious numbers of seeds swathed in a slimy pulp inside. Most of the pumpkin plant is edible, including the flowers, the leaves and the fruit. Pumpkin seeds, known as pepitas, are rich in copper, zinc and magnesium and make a tasty protein snack.
Popularity
Pumpkins are one of the most popular crops grown in America, and the top pumpkin-producing states include Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and California. Pumpkins are celebrated in a variety of ways. There are pumpkin festivals, where growers of giant pumpkins compete with their behemoth squashes, the largest on record weighing in at over a ton. There are also pumpkin chucking competitions where hand-built mechanical devices are put to the test to see which one can hurl a pumpkin the farthest distance. Pumpkins are also celebrated at Halloween with faces carved in their smooth surfaces to create Jack-o’-lanterns that light up the darkness.
Here in northeast Ohio with pumpkin fields abound, simply watching the squash being harvested is amusing in itself. I love the taste of pumpkin, and blending its fresh, sweet flesh with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves enhances the flavor. There are so many recipes utilizing pumpkin these days that it is hard not to find something that doesn’t appeal to your taste buds. My dogs love playing with pumpkins and I always buy them several pie pumpkins that they can carry around in their mouths and toss into the air. And the livestock loves pumpkins too, ensuring that nothing will be wasted. Suffice it to say that pumpkin season may be fleeting, but it is certainly full.
