| Pumpkintastic
facts! |
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| Not
just a humble vegetable... |
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Your
Halloween festivities just aren't complete without at least a few
Jack-o'-lanterns. But here are a few fascinating pumpkin facts to
throw at the trick-or-treaters... |
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Before
you start hacking your pumpkin into a Halloween masterpiece, here
are few facts about the humble vegetable.
Ten things you never knew about the pumpkin......
A pumpkin is really a squash, and comes from the same family as the
cucumber. If you ever manage to carve a cucumber lantern - you're
really very clever indeed!
 You
can grow pumpkins all over the world - except in Antarctica. So if
you live in Antarctica, you’ll have to carve something spooky in the
snow instead!
 The
pumpkin capital of the world is - not surprisingly - in the USA. Morton,
Illinois is the place to go for your pumpkins. Or
you could try your local supermarket.
 Pumpkin
carving was taken to the US by the Irish, who started carving turnips
for their annual Samhain holiday. They soon found that pumpkins were
easier to carve than turnips.
There are over 50 different types of pumpkin. They have such great
names as the Spooktacular, the Funny Face and the Munchkin.
 The
smallest pumpkins can weigh as little as 2lb, whilst the largest you
can commonly grow can weigh over 150lbs. You'll need a big garden
for that one!
 If
your pumpkin lantern shrivels up, you can restore it by soaking it
overnight in water to rehydrate it. But remember to take out the candle,
first.
 Did
you know that you can get blue, green and white pumpkins, as well
as the traditional orange ones? Orange is prettiest though, don't
you think?
 A
world record breaking pumpkin was grown in 1999 by Gerry Checkon of
Altoona in Pennsylvania, US. The monster vegetable weighed in at 1,131lb
(513kg). Now that's big!
 Pumpkins
are medicinal, as well as fun and tasty. The seeds are used for de-worming
and the pulp is often used to relieve burns. But you should probably
see your doctor before relying on vegetables to sort you out.
More spooky
Halloween fun... |
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