When you come to Swans Trail Farms and visit our pumpkin patch for the perfect gourd for your home, you’re likely going to carve it. It’s what most families do and it’s a great bonding activity, but you can do so much more with pumpkins other than carving them.
Instead of just picking a few pumpkins for carving at our 50-acre patch, grab a few more and use them for everything from beauty products to delicious pies. Pumpkins are versatile, sturdy, and look great for fall decorations.
Check out these great pumpkin ideas.
1. TAKE YOUR PUMPKINS INTO THE KITCHEN
If it’s one thing that signals fall, it’s pumpkin spice everything. You can’t walk into a store without being pelted by the smell of pumpkins. You’ll find pumpkins pies and other treats as well. Don’t spend your money on overpriced store-bought pumpkin treats when you can make them at home from scratch.
Pumpkin Pie
The best part of making a pumpkin pie from scratch is scraping out the pumpkin guts. (Have the kids help with this, they’ll love it.) Start by cutting open the pumpkin and removing about 2 pounds of raw pumpkin.
Remove the seeds and place the guts into a saucepan over medium heat with about an inch of water. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for about half an hour then drain and cool. Lastly, mash it with a potato masher.
Grab a pre-made pie crust and a big bowl. Place the pumpkin guts, a can of evaporated milk, 2 eggs, ¾ cup of brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt into the bowl and use an electric mixer until mixed well.
Pour it into the crust and bake for 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
People love to use the pumpkin guts in recipes, but the seeds are a tasty treat too. We took out the seeds when making the pie, so use these next. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grab a large baking sheet.
Wash the pulp off the seeds and let them dry on a towel. You don’t want wet seeds, or they turn out soggy. Place the seeds in a bowl and add olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper to taste and mix well.
Put the seeds on a single layer on the baking sheet and cook for about 12 minutes. You might want to mix the pumpkin seeds up every five minutes to make sure they cook evenly. Cool and eat.
2. FUN THINGS TO DO WITH PUMPKINS: MAKE A BIRD FEEDER
We used up all the pulp and the seeds. You’re now left with the shell. Don’t worry, we have a use for that too.
Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out any remaining pulp and seeds. Once the inside is clean, fill it with birdseed and hang it from a tree. You can use rope or wires to hand it.
A fresh pumpkin can last a few weeks as a bird feeder. After that, it starts shrinking, smelling, and becoming a home for bugs. While the birds might like all the bugs, it’s not a great-looking feeder for your yard.
3. CLEAR YOUR SKIN WITH PUMPKIN FACE MASK
Every year, thousands of children leave the house in costumes and masks to get candy for Halloween. This pumpkin facemask won’t scare the neighbors, but it might leave you with bright and younger-looking skin.
A pumpkin has lots of vitamins and antioxidants like some of the best face masks on the market. You don’t have to pay $100 an ounce for a pumpkin puree facemask.
Take out about 3 tablespoons of pumpkin guts and remove any seeds. Place it into a blender until it’s pureed. In a small bowl, add the puree, 1 teaspoon of raw honey, 1 egg, and 3 drops of frankincense essential oils.
Mix everything together and place it on your skin for about 15 minutes. Your skin looks healthier and more vibrant in minutes.
4. GROW YOUR OWN PUMPKIN PATCH
We love it when you come to our pumpkin patch and pick out your favorite pumpkins, but what if you want to grow them yourself.
The first thing you need to do is decide what kind of pumpkin you want to plant. There are many different varieties. They can be small gourds or massive pumpkins. They can be orange, white, or countless other colors.
Once you know the one you want, find the seeds and plant them in the spring. Find an area in your garden that gets full sun and plant them there. You’ll want to add about an inch of water per week to the pumpkin patch.
Keep an eye on rainfall and apply accordingly. Once the pumpkins begin sprouting, you may notice the leaves looking wilted in the late afternoon. This is caused by the hot sun. The soil does not need more water. If you overwater, then it causes root rot.
It takes a few months for the pumpkins to grow and ripen. You’ll know when they’re ripe when the outer skin becomes hard. You may want to avoid insects by using pesticides, but we suggest otherwise.
Pumpkin flowers require pollination. You don’t want to kill bees when they’re a necessity for your plant’s survival.
FIND YOUR PERFECT PUMPKIN AT SWANS TRAIL FARMS
If you want the perfect pumpkin, then visit Swans Trail Farms from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31. We have 50-acres of pumpkins for you to choose from in our pumpkin patch. You can grab a few pumpkins for carving, a few for cooking, and a few for whatever else you want to try out. ‘
Swans Trail has everything you need to decorate for the fall including various gourds and hay bales. You can have some of our delicious apple cider or enjoy our corn maze. We have many fun activities for families, so stop by.
If you want more information about Swans Trail Farms or more fun things to do with pumpkins, then please contact us today.