Now that Halloween is over and you want to preserve the feeling
a while longer, here are a few things you can do.
Use some WD40. The main ingredient in WD-40 is mineral oil—the
same stuff in Vaseline It will keep your pumpkins hydrated,
protected from moisture, and fresh looking. It also contains
several alkanes that are water-repellant and freeze-resistant.
So go forth and use it to preserve both carved and uncarved
pumpkins.
Spray all over your
uncarved pumpkin to keep it looking shiny and new. For carved
pumpkins, spray inside and outside making sure every part is
saturated. Keep in mind that mineral oil is flammable, so you
may want to be cautious about putting a lit candle inside
Another idea. Get three pumpkins of varying sizes, small,
medium, and large. Paint them white. Then stack them up like a
snowman. add a hat, scarf or other typical snowman clothes. The
paint will help preserve the pumpkins and you can enjoy them for
months as wintry guests on the front porch.
Showing posts with label Pumpkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pumpkin. Show all posts
Nov 11, 2016
May 13, 2016
Pumpkin Power
The US Energy Department claims pumpkins are responsible for adding to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
According to the department, most of the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins produced in the US end up in the trash, becoming part of the tons of municipal solid waste produced in the United States every year.
Municipal solid waste decomposes into methane, “a harmful greenhouse gas that plays a part in climate change, with more than 20 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide,” according to the department. We can all help by eating more pumpkin pie and munching pumpkin seeds.
According to the department, most of the 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins produced in the US end up in the trash, becoming part of the tons of municipal solid waste produced in the United States every year.
Municipal solid waste decomposes into methane, “a harmful greenhouse gas that plays a part in climate change, with more than 20 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide,” according to the department. We can all help by eating more pumpkin pie and munching pumpkin seeds.
Oct 30, 2015
Keeping Pumpkins Fresh
It is that
time of year again and we all know pumpkins can
turn mushy after a few days.
Here are a few hacks to keep it fresh longer. After your pumpkin has been carved, rinse it out with water to get rid of excess strings and gunk. Take a large bucket or tub and fill it with a few gallons of water.
Stir in three teaspoons of bleach, dunk in the pumpkin. Be sure to hold it down as it will try to float. Let it sit in the solution for two minutes, remove and let dry.
Spray the whole thing, inside and out with WD40 to keep it fresh and shiny.
If you want to spend a bit more, you can now buy a product, Pumpkin Fresh to spray the whole thing. Of course, you need to apply daily.
Vaseline or any oil you might have in your kitchen applied to the inside and cut edges will keep it fresh, but are all a bit messy.
Here are a few hacks to keep it fresh longer. After your pumpkin has been carved, rinse it out with water to get rid of excess strings and gunk. Take a large bucket or tub and fill it with a few gallons of water.
Stir in three teaspoons of bleach, dunk in the pumpkin. Be sure to hold it down as it will try to float. Let it sit in the solution for two minutes, remove and let dry.
Spray the whole thing, inside and out with WD40 to keep it fresh and shiny.
If you want to spend a bit more, you can now buy a product, Pumpkin Fresh to spray the whole thing. Of course, you need to apply daily.
Vaseline or any oil you might have in your kitchen applied to the inside and cut edges will keep it fresh, but are all a bit messy.
Aug 30, 2013
Watermelon Facts
The watermelon grows on vines on
the ground. It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family and is
related to cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin. Some varieties of
watermelon come with a variety of rind and flesh colors. The inside
flesh of the popular varieties are red or yellow. The watermelon
grows in many different shapes. Watermelon has 92% water. Watermelon
contains vitamins A, B6 and C. You can eat every part of a
watermelon, including the seeds and rinds.
Thought to be the ancestor of the original watermelon, the white-skinned citron first grew in the Kalahari Desert of Africa. Egyptians recorded the earliest harvest of them 5,000 years ago. Watermelons were depicted in hieroglyphics that adorned the ancient walls of their structures. They buried the fruit in the tombs of their kings, because they believed it nourished them in the afterlife.
Watermelons spread by merchant ships to other countries as they traveled to conduct their business. The plants flourished along the Mediterranean Sea, and by the 10th century they made their way to China. Later in the 13th century the Moors helped spread the watermelon throughout Europe.
The watermelon may have made its way to the United States during the African slavery trade via slaves carrying the seeds on the ships. The word watermelon made its first debut in the English Dictionary in 1615. There are five states that currently lead watermelon production in the US - Florida, Texas, California, Georgia, and Arizona. The United States ranks as number four in worldwide production of watermelon. China is number one. 96 countries grow watermelons globally. Chinese and Japanese often give watermelons to the host when they visit. Israelis and Egyptians enjoy salads made with sweet watermelon and salty feta cheese.
Watermelons come in 1200 different varieties. Recent cultivations led to development of several desirable characteristics of the fruit, including seedless varieties and ones with thin rinds.
Thought to be the ancestor of the original watermelon, the white-skinned citron first grew in the Kalahari Desert of Africa. Egyptians recorded the earliest harvest of them 5,000 years ago. Watermelons were depicted in hieroglyphics that adorned the ancient walls of their structures. They buried the fruit in the tombs of their kings, because they believed it nourished them in the afterlife.
Watermelons spread by merchant ships to other countries as they traveled to conduct their business. The plants flourished along the Mediterranean Sea, and by the 10th century they made their way to China. Later in the 13th century the Moors helped spread the watermelon throughout Europe.
The watermelon may have made its way to the United States during the African slavery trade via slaves carrying the seeds on the ships. The word watermelon made its first debut in the English Dictionary in 1615. There are five states that currently lead watermelon production in the US - Florida, Texas, California, Georgia, and Arizona. The United States ranks as number four in worldwide production of watermelon. China is number one. 96 countries grow watermelons globally. Chinese and Japanese often give watermelons to the host when they visit. Israelis and Egyptians enjoy salads made with sweet watermelon and salty feta cheese.
Watermelons come in 1200 different varieties. Recent cultivations led to development of several desirable characteristics of the fruit, including seedless varieties and ones with thin rinds.
Oct 26, 2012
Jack O' Lantern
This was originally one of the numerous
names given to ignis fatuus (Medieval Latin for “foolish fire”),
another of which is “Will O’ the Wisps”, basically the odd light
that can occasionally be seen over marshes, swamps, etc.
When you see someone carrying a lantern in a distance at night you see is a man, but you can’t make out who exactly it is, he is literally “man with a lantern”, a.k.a. “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack O’ Lantern.” This was also commonly used for a nickname for night watchmen.
“Jack O’ Lantern” first popped up in the mid-17th century in East Anglia, UK and spread from there through parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland. The name likely originally derived from the practice of calling men generically “Dick, Jack, Tom, etc.” In particular, men who were lower class, were often called generically “Jack” beginning around the 14th century in England.
How this name made the jump to referring to carved pumpkins with lights inside, it has its origins in the Celtic practice of hollowing out and carving faces into turnips and other vegetables during Samuin (a festival where many of the traditions of Halloween come from). After carving the vegetables, they placed candles inside and put them in windows or carried the make-shift lanterns with them as they walked to ward off evil spirits.
In Britain, pranksters would make these types of carved lanterns to scare people on the road or children would carry them around during Hallowmas while begging for soul cakes.
When you see someone carrying a lantern in a distance at night you see is a man, but you can’t make out who exactly it is, he is literally “man with a lantern”, a.k.a. “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack O’ Lantern.” This was also commonly used for a nickname for night watchmen.
“Jack O’ Lantern” first popped up in the mid-17th century in East Anglia, UK and spread from there through parts of England, Ireland, and Scotland. The name likely originally derived from the practice of calling men generically “Dick, Jack, Tom, etc.” In particular, men who were lower class, were often called generically “Jack” beginning around the 14th century in England.
How this name made the jump to referring to carved pumpkins with lights inside, it has its origins in the Celtic practice of hollowing out and carving faces into turnips and other vegetables during Samuin (a festival where many of the traditions of Halloween come from). After carving the vegetables, they placed candles inside and put them in windows or carried the make-shift lanterns with them as they walked to ward off evil spirits.
In Britain, pranksters would make these types of carved lanterns to scare people on the road or children would carry them around during Hallowmas while begging for soul cakes.
Oct 19, 2012
Lighting Pumpkins Tip
This year for Halloween, get a few
glow sticks to light your pumpkins. They are safer than candles and
last most of the night. You can find them for a dollar at the Dollar
store. They also come in fun colors.
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