Pumpkins didn’t cross my mind much as a useful vegetable. Winter squash and sweet potatoes and parsnips have a more pleasant taste, and it didn’t make sense to replace them with something that for most of the year just comes in a can. But then this BBC article was interesting food for thought.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231026-are-halloween-pumpkins-a-future-superfood

Apparently they’re a sustainable highly nutritious crop which thrives in even dry land and poor soil. In Bangladesh, they’re a food source thriving in the mini-deserts caused by flash flooding. They don’t require refrigeration for transport. The flesh is full of nutrients, and so are the seeds. In some heirloom varieties, even the leaves are edible. That inspired me to think about planting pumpkins next year; perhaps on the steep inclined poor runoff soil behind our property? Maybe the vines would anchor and improve the ground.

Meanwhile, I went out comparing pumpkin prices. At the bargain bin down at Fruit & Folks, my favorite produce open-air stand, there were a couple of sugar-pie pumpkins that were slightly dented but perfectly good. Trader Joe had a sale on canned pumpkin pulp, so I bought some for the winter pantry. After Halloween I’ll check the half-price shelf at the grocery too.

Yesterday I bought a small pie pumpkin to support our local Boy Scout troop. The Scouts and their families were just closing the gates for the season, but still had a few pumpkins left looking wholesome and nostalgic in the sunset.

Which of the pumpkins were best for cooking? I asked the farm manager. “We don’t know; we always sort the varieties and box them up with labels, but customers spend all day carrying and moving them around. They end up all mixed together, so we don’t want to guarantee. Your safest bet is a smaller round one; that is the most likely to be a pie pumpkin. All pumpkins are edible; but these big ones, for decorations and carving? Those don’t have a good flavor, and might be bitter. The largest ones are cheapest per pound. They are bought out by [A supersize nationwide food distributor], to bake into pies. How do they fix the flavor? By adding lots of CORN SYRUP. That is not your Grandma’s pie. But the customers buy it right up.”

It was troubling to think that after the stand closed for the year, these pumpkins might go to waste. But no, the staff explained that they will drive those pumpkins home and feed them to their cows. “On the farm when we pick the pumpkins to drive them here and some are too damaged to sell, we drop those in the cow pasture. Those cows come running! Pigs love them too. Pumpkin makes great feed.” It was heartening to hear about livestock in America who receive wholesome food.

But for sustainable dry weather planting, it’s time to learn more about this underrated vegetable before garden season next year.