The mad scientists at ScaryProducts.com have been out all night digging up interesting facts about pumpkins and Jack O' Lanterns...
A pumpkin is really a squash? It’s a member of the Cucurbit family which includes squash and cucumbers.
The Irish brought this tradition of pumpkin carving to America? The tradition originally started with the carving of turnips. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they found pumpkins a plenty and they were much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.
The "pumpkin capital" of the world is Morton, Illinois? This self proclaimed pumpkin capital is where you'll find the home of the Libby Corporation's pumpkin industry.
Pumpkins are grown all over the world? In fact six of the seven continents can grow pumpkins! Antarctica is the only continent that they won't grow in. Pumpkins even grow in Alaska!
Pumpkins originated in Central America.
The name pumpkin originated from "pepon" – the Greek word for "large melon."
Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
Pumpkins are fruit.
Pumpkin flowers are edible.
Pumpkin seeds can be roasted as a snack.
Pumpkins are used to make soups, pies and breads.
Pumpkins are used for feed for animals.
Eighty percent of the pumpkin-supply in the United States is available in October.
The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
Colonists sliced off pumpkin tips; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.
