Learin' your pumpkins. Did you know there's a variety of different pumpkins many which on grown on the beautiful land of Foxhoolow Farm. Our self-serve pumpkin patch is officially open dawn to dusk, seven days a week, until sell out! Celebrate the fall season by picking an heirloom pumpkin planted and grown right here at Foxhollow Farm. Below is a breakdown of the differences in this season's favorite gourds, so you can know exactly what pumpkin to pick and impress all of the ghouls and goblins at the Halloween party! We hope you enjoy learnin' your pumpkins.
Valenciano
(cucurbita maxima)
The seeds of this brilliant white pumpkin were developed and released in 1988. It features smooth flesh that is perfect for painting or accenting the traditional red and orange pumpkin display. Averaging 5-11 inches tall, this pumpkin makes a sweet, flavorful pie.
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Marina Di Chioggia
(curcurbita maxima)
This outrageous squash belongs in every patch. In addition to providing texture and color to the fall gourd display, this beauty makes amazing pasta and gnocchi-- an unusual yet delicious gluten free alternative. For both its appearance and it's flavor, we love this squash, warts and all!
New England Pie
(cucurbita pepo)
A favorite among children whose arms are still too short to reach around it's larger cousins, the diminutive New England Pie Pumpkin's small size makes it a perfect choice for tabletop displays. But that's not all it can do, it's sweet and stringless flesh makes the perfect pie... this cherub puts the pumpkin in pumpkin spice.
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Rouge Vif D' Etampes
(curcurbita maxima)
The Rouge Vif provides a unique pop of color to fall displays. Also known as "Cinderella," this French pumpkin is a favorite among all fairy godmothers -- and not just because it makes a dandy carriage! This pumpkin's sweet flesh makes delicious pies as well.
Blue Hubbard
(curcurbita maxima)
If there was a prize for being the most versatile squash, the Blue Hubbard would be the winner. This large squash is a favorite at fall farm stands due to its use as a decorative gourd. It's sweet flesh is tasty not only to human palettes, but to insects as well. For agriculture operations, the Blue Hubbard is a remarkably effective "trap crop"-- luring ruinous bugs aways from farmers' cash crops, ultimately reducing the need for pesticides.
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Howden
(curcurbita maxima)
Becoming a jack-o-lantern is the quintessential role of pumpkins, and Howden is the pumpkin of choice for carving spooky, artistic, or just plain silly jack-o-lanterns. This cultivar was developed by John Howden in the 1970s. Its thick skin, carvability, and upright stature has made this brilliant orange pumpkin the most popular pumpkin grown today.
What's the difference between a pumpkin, a gourd, and a squash? All three are from the family Cucurbitaceae (as are watermelons, cucumbers, and honeydews, but let's not get off track). To understand the difference, prepare yourself for a horticultural version of "who's on first..." A squash is also a gourd and a gourd can be a squash and pumpkin can be both, but neither a gourd nor a squash can be a pumpkin but all three are fruits. Confused? Don't worry-- essentially, the difference comes down to how the fruit will be used and how much bitter, mouth-puckering cucurbitacins the flesh contains. Squash, which is low in cucurbitacins, is grown to be eaten. Gourds contain high amounts of cucurbitacins-- which are not lethal but taste terrible and do not play well with our digestive systems. Gourds are grown purely for decoration. In short, if you're serving it on your Thanksgiving table, it's a squash, if it's decorating your porch, it's a gourd. And pumpkins? Pumpkins are technically classified as squash. But, not all pumpkins are eaten; not all pumpkins are used for decoration. As summer relaxes her sweltering grip on our farm and we begin to celebrate the bounty of the fall season, it is the pumpkin, the harbinger of autumn herself, who adorns our tables and lends its beauty to our fall displays... happily existing both as a squash and a gourd. Cheers to the pumpkin! Happy Fall!
Pumpkins can be purchased from Foxhollow every fall. Check out the Foxhollow Market here!