AgriMissouri Showcase:. You know, the apple gets a lot of press for being the all American fruit, but there is something to be said for the pumpkin too. It's linked to our origins as Americans. The first European settlers ate pumpkin. It’s even part of our literature. Think of Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater, or the legend of Sleepy Hollow, so this weekend on AgriMissouri Showcase we're dedicating some quality time to our friend, the pumpkin. Amy Winder's got a couple of pumpkin stories. First, she talked about pumpkin picking with Donnie Beggs from Beggs Family Farm in Sikeston. Then she's got some jack-o'lantern advice for you from Marvis Meyer, of Meyer Tree and Berry Farm. First up, Donnie Beggs.
Donnie Beggs:. You know, we've tried different activities, one of them being strawberries, you know, having a u-pick strawberry. Well, to kids that's work, you know, picking a pumpkin is fun, because they get to go home and decorate that pumpkin, that fits the whole atmosphere of this season, you know, the fall season around Halloween is around decorating the pumpkin and all that, carving it and everything, and so I think to kids, that's a fun activity you know, especially like when our school kids go out there, you wouldn't believe it when you got 150 school kids getting off a wagon and just running across that field to find a pumpkin, I mean it’s, - their eyes light up, it’s almost like it’s Christmas morning. You know, so it's just a fun activity for them and I think that's the appeal, to be able to go because it’s funny how what you think is a perfect pumpkin, everybody else has their own ideal of a perfect pumpkin. Some people like tall skinny ones, some people like short fat ones, you know what I mean so everybody has a different deal and in a pumpkin patch, there's all different sizes, so it always fits.
Amy Winder:. Biggs says you never really know what you'll get when growing your own pumpkin.
Donnie Beggs:. Whenever you grow a pumpkin variety there's always pumpkins that are going to get bigger and there's always pumpkins that are going to get smaller. Now you can do that with varieties too, and there are certain varieties that we raise strictly for our school program that make a small pumpkin so the kid can be able to handle it because a lot of these kids come in through our school program are pre-K through second grade, so we want a small pumpkin because they're going to - a lot of them take that back to school on a bus, get off that bus on to another bus to get home and get that pumpkin to their house, so you know, we like the small ones for those, and then on the weekends whenever they come out you can have different varieties that will make all big ones, and so you just have a mixture, but even a pumpkin that produces big pumpkins like 25, 30 pound pumpkins still are going to have 10 pound pumpkins too. The farther they go down on the vine, the smaller they're going to get, so it always makes a nice selection across any variety.
Amy Winder:. If you're travelling to the pumpkin field with a large group get the advantage by knowing how to look for a pumpkin that will last.
Donnie Beggs:. When you're buying a pumpkin you always want to look for a pumpkin that has a good firm hard stem. If you can twist it, the pumpkin was picked green, the stem will dry up, and shrivel, it won't stay big and hard, so when you're going you should grab the stems. If those stems are hard and you can't twist 'em any more that pumpkin was mature when it was harvested; that stem should last a lot longer. Once you do cut a pumpkin open, I mean a pumpkin that was hardened down and let go till it was finished, you know, on the vine, when it’s cut off it will last till it freezes, so as long as that pumpkin never freeze(s) it should stay, you know what I mean, but not, I mean not for years, but I mean it'll last all through your season. I've heard of people having them in their garage and next March they go to clean the garage and the pumpkin is still good, but now if that pumpkin was picked early and you cut it, then it starts to deteriorate right then. If it was picked green, it will deteriorate faster, so once it goes through that proper drying down process, the pumpkin will last a long long time.
Amy Winder:. Don't get too worried about someone else trying to get the pumpkin you want. Beggs says there are a lot of different reasons pumpkins appeal to people.
Donnie Beggs:. A lot of people buy a pumpkin for its stem, so we try to have the biggest stemmed varieties we can because that just seems to be really important. Some people don't care, the stem could break off, and they don't care. They're looking at that shape, but a lot of people buy pumpkins for their stems, they want the big tall stems, you know, the handles. If it’s good and solid, then that means that pumpkin was cured properly.
Amy Winder:. Besides pumpkin picking the Beggs Family Farm offer mazes, pig races, mini-golf and more. You can find it along State Highway U. in Sikeston. I'm Amy Winder for AgriMissouri Showcase.
AgriMissouri Showcase:. If you're not picking up your pumpkin from a can nowadays, let's face it you're probably not planning to eat it unless you're a diehard. There's clearly a lot more you can do with it, and Amy's got more for us on that subject too.
Amy Winder:. A fun family activity in October is decorating pumpkins. The trick if finding a pumpkin that will last through the season's festivities. That's why Marvis Meyer with Meyer Tree and Berry Farm says there are various characteristics a person looking for the perfect decorative pumpkin should keep in mind.
Marvis Meyer:. The ideal pumpkin I think is about a 15-pound pumpkin fairly smooth skin and where you can shape, round, makes sure it sits up properly so it don't fall over, you know, the bottom needs to be relatively stable and that's it. It’s kind of up to, you can make a jack-o'lantern out of about anything really but you know, it’s all individual taste, you know, how big a pumpkin you want, what shape you want it, some people like a taller pumpkin. Other ones little squatty, so it’s entirely up to the individual but just a round 15 pounder is about the standard.
Amy Winder:. Meyers says there are many ways to be creative with your pumpkin that don't involve using a knife.
Marvis Meyer:. A lot of people paint their pumpkins, you know, it last a little longer. Once you carve a pumpkin you've got maybe 2 or 3 days and they'll start rotting down, so what our people will paint them, paint a face on them. We sell little painting kits and carving kits you can get real intricate on it. We sell kits that have little saw blades, a pattern you put on the pumpkin's face. All different types of patterns and it gets real elaborate and you can sew out the exact diagram on the pumpkin, after you clean it out of course, and they're really nice. You can - the sky is the limit. You've got tools where you don't even have to break, go all the way through to the inside of the pumpkin where you just scrape the outside also. So there's a lot of different things or you can use the old standard little knife, you know, that we sell little knives that don't have a real sharp point on them but they got a saw edge on them, and where the kids can participate too.
Amy Winder:. If you're ready to decorate with pumpkins now, skip the carving. That way they'll last longer.
Marvis Meyer:. As long as you don't be cutting on them, or breaking them, then keep them if you want to put them up and set them on straw bales. A lot of people put up a straw bale and corn stalk display you know, on their front porch or somewhere in the yard, they will last you know, good pumpkins. Some will maybe have a little bit of fungus on it, and may not last an entire period. But the majority if the pumpkins are cured out, and have a good skin on them, there's no problem at all as long as you don't carve on them early, but they'll last, should be good and the squirrels don't get them or something like that.
Amy Winder:. When you're ready to remove pumpkins as part of your home's décor, think about putting them to use in the kitchen.
Marvis Meyer:. You can make pumpkin pies or pumpkin soup whatever, out of any type of pumpkin. Once they're carved though, they start going downhill, but if you don't carve it, sure, you can use it for bake it, // or whatever. Make up pies, or like I said soup.
Amy Winder:. The Meyer Tree and Berry Farm has a variety of activities available to visitors from pumpkin picking to wagon rides to corn raise // they're open until Halloween. Find them just three miles south of Dixon on D Highway just a short diagnosis from Interstate 44 or call 573-759-7998. I'm Amy Winder for AgriMissouri Showcase.
Sarah Gehring is our blogger. She's the Member Service Coordinator for the 
