Nothing gets you in the mood for Halloween more than finding that perfect pumpkin that will be carved into a spook jack o’ lantern. With the crisp fall air and a field full of pumpkins, it’s also a time to stop and enjoy the fall colors and the amazing people in our community that do so much.
On Saturday October 17, 2015, the Chestermere Lions Club held their 9th Annual Pumpkin Patch at Mountain View Cemetery. Pumpkins go for $10, but all monies raised goes back to the Chestermere Lions Club who use the money for community projects.
This event also had members from the Chestermere Public Library ready spooky stories, members of Synergy helping at the pumpkin carving station and there were also hotdogs, juice and coffee on hand. A great community event that always gets everyone in the mood for Halloween.
Speaking of pumpkins though, here are some fun pumpkin facts that you might not know:
Pumpkins are usually orange but can sometimes be yellow, white, green or red.
The name pumpkin comes from the Greek word ‘pepon’, meaning ‘large melon’.
Pumpkins have thick shells which contain pulp and seeds.
Scientifically speaking, pumpkins are a fruit (they contain seeds) but when it comes to cooking, they are often referred to as vegetables.
Pumpkins are usually shaped like a sphere (ball).
They vary in weight but an average sized pumpkin might weigh around 13 pounds (6 kilograms).
Giant pumpkins can be grown for competitions, with some weighing over 1000 pounds! (450 kilograms). In 2010, the world record was 1810 pounds! That’s huge!!
Pumpkin plants feature both male and female flowers, with bees typically being involved in pollination (the transfer of pollen).
Over 1 billion pounds (450 million kgs) of pumpkin are produced in the US every year.
As a food, pumpkin can be baked, roasted, steamed or boiled.
Pumpkin soup is popular, as are roasted pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin pie is a sweet dessert that originates in North America and is traditionally eaten during harvest time and holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Pumpkins are popular decorations during Halloween. A carved pumpkin illuminated by candles is known as a ‘jack-o-lantern’. The tradition is believed to have come from Ireland, where they used to carve faces into turnips, beet and other root vegetables as part of the Gaelic festival of Samhain.
100 grams of pumpkin produces around 26 calories of energy.
The Chestermere Lions want to thank Mountain View Cemetery, The Chestermere Anchor, Tim Hortons, Chestermere Public Library, Erics No Frills, Synergy, Top Dogs Calgary, Shannon Services and Electo Cool and of course, all those that came out and participated in the event!
