In America, in the Fall, the people buy pumpkins and put them on their front door steps. Their stoops.
An estimated THREE million pumpkins are purchased in the United States during the month leading up to Halloween. Many people carve scary Halloween faces into their pumpkins to keep that old Irish drunk Stingy Jack at bay, but most simply place a pumpkin on the steps and call it good. It is a lovely colourful tradition (though I would rather cook the pumpkins, make pumpkin soup and invite the drunk to dinner) but each to his own.
I spend the whole month watching the pumpkins sitting on peoples steps and hoping there will not be a bad frost that rots the pumpkins before we can collect them. Because collect them we do. Not three million but we do get a few. And every day for as long as they last I break a pumpkin up, with a sharp spade and divide this good food amongst the pigs. Pumpkins and their seeds have a good portion of Iron and calcium and are very high in Vitamin A. (Plus low in cholesterol for those of you who count such things.) Very good food.
We collect pumpkins, black walnuts and bags and bags of autumn leaves.
Autumn is a good time for the pigs.
I hope you have a lovely day
Love your friend
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
61 responses to “Bring out your pumpkins”
Oh good! I caught you before I have to go to sleep at an unnaturally early hour, in order to see the Husband off to work at 4.30am. I was quite sad to think I’d have to wait for 7 hours before I could read the Farmy doings.
Mr Flowers’ tail is what caught my eye first – those feathers are coming through beautifully. And of course, how can I resist Miss Tima, who is increasingly resembling a pumpkin herself these days, though given she’s on strict rations I’m not at all sure how she does it. I’d quite like to grab some of those pumpkins myself and make a big batch of curried pumpkin soup for the freezer.
I took most of that pumpkin off her too! It was a tussle with her squawking (with her mouth full) the whole time but she had to share with Miss Molly -in the shot at the bottom of the page! I think she just has a rubenesque figure.. c
Traditionally built…. greedy minx.
I’m eating a pumpkin that my neighbor gave me to add to my compost pile. It is good food – can’t wait to try your soup recipe.
Oh what is that saying one mans meat is another mans poison or something! perfect.. c
Our piggies ate their first jack-o-lantern last week! They ran around with bits of it. Them pigs are funny.
I am glad you go pigs – they are hilarious – and your photos are wonderful.. c
my pigs are loving their pumpkins in a big way, so good
We can never gather enough – I hope the left overs in the supermarkets go on sale this week.. c
Best of luck on it, I tried talking to a couple local pumpkin growers on if they would sell the leftover pumpkins at farm feed prices and all three said they would rather compost them out then sell them that cheaply.. So I sighed and grow more of my own 🙂
I’m sure everyone loves that last shot as much as I do. I feel like it’s just for me, even though I know it’s for everyone. So personal, somehow. Tima, mastering her pumpkin, is quite a sight. Is her belly touching the ground? She’s such a diva.
Yes that is Miss Molly – she is such a pretty pig – with her head just so. c
That last photo is just too adorable for words… Good morning, c. xx
Good morning Misky!
I have been told raw pumpkin and butternut seeds are good dewormers for dogs and cats. I put in a bowl with about half a cup of water and blitz for a few seconds and then add to next meal. Did Tane get a look in eventually, looks like Tima was hogging it all? 🙂 Laura
Tane had already sprinted to the corner with his piece – he is allowed more than her being the Jack Sprat of the two.. c
They look like they are enjoying it. I always roast our jack-o-lantern after Halloween and use it to make breads, muffins, roast and seasoned seeds, and a wonderful pumpkin and kale salad. That reminds me that I have to post the recipe in my blog. Have a great day Miss C!
Pumpkin and kale salad? yes please – let me know when that recipe is up! c
Well time slips away, as it does, I finally posted this recipe along with a link to the original site where I got the recipe. It is so good, I hope you try it. Let me know if you like it!
NB Viv: make that pumpkin soup!
Everyone loves that last pic – I’ve pinched it for a pome.
Enjoy your day
love,
ViV xox
You too Viv, We have another good frost this morning! c
As recyclersa said, good dewormer, not just for dogs and cats, but chickens, humans, and any other critter that will eat them. Chickens love raw pumpkin meat too.
excellent! c
I must also make the ‘pumpkin rounds’ to collect them for our animals too! Do you compost the bags of leaves, or chop and put them into the garden for mulch? We spend days doing both with our leaves here!
The bags of leaves I tie shut and heave into the shed and leave (‘scuse the pun) for a year then into the garden. Perfect by then – or into the chook house then into the compost in the spring. c
I concur! People in the neighborhood donate to me too. I love them!! It gives me an excuse to go into the backyard and enjoy them. XOXO – Bacon
Lucky you Bacon! good wee piggy.. c
I pass two large fields of unused pumpkins on the days I take care of my granddaughter. Row after row of pumpkins grown in the hopes to be sold at the local (and very large) pumpkin patch operation that turn out to be slightly imperfect for sale and thus go unharvested and wasted. I have been thinking of you quite a bit each time I see these simply rotting in the field, waiting to be plowed under. I so wish that I could magically transport some of them to the farmy for you. I hate to see this waste.
Oh that would make Sheila and I weep! c
I like carving them but I’m not keen on the taste, so the pigs are welcome to mine. I do like roasted pumpkin seeds though.
I’ll have to tell Molly Parkin she’s had a pig named after her – good job it’s a pretty one 😉
recycling at it’s best my farmy friend….and the last photo is totally the best yet! Cheers!