Fun Facts About Pumpkins!

Carved for a scary Halloween face, baked for a delicious Thanksgiving pie, or put on wheels to take Cinderella to the ball! Here are some fun facts about pumpkins that you may not have already known!

1. Pumpkins are actually a type of Squash! They are a part of the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers.

2. The largest pumpkin pie that was ever made was over 5 feet wide and weighed over 350 pounds. It took 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and 6 hours to bake!

3. The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed a whopping 1,810 pounds!

4. The Irish brought the tradition of pumpkin carving to the United States.

5. In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.

6. Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.

7. Pumpkins are 90% water.

8. 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.

9.  Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.

10. Pumpkins are an excellent source of vitamins A & B