Fun Facts for Pumpkin Lovers

Pumpkin lovers unite! It's that time of year again. The time for pumpkin pie, Jack O'Lanterns, toasted pumpkin seeds and colorful fall decorations. The time for carving contests, pumpkin smoothies and countless other pumpkin flavored dishes. (Can you say Yummmmmm?)

There are many interesting facts about pumpkins, which you might not be aware of. You probably won't be a 'pumpkin expert' by the time you finish this article. But, you never know when a bit of pumpkin trivia might come in handy.

We all know that pumpkins come in many shapes and sizes, thanks to Mother Nature. Did you know that they come in an array of colors, as well? Believe it or not, there are yellow, white, green, tan, red and blue pumpkins, out there.

After planting, it takes pumpkin approximately 90 to 120 days to mature. There is only one day during the entire growing season, in which the pumpkin flower can be pollinated. If the growing season is a dry one, pumpkins will typically be 20% - 30% smaller, in size.

Pumpkin is a very popular word in Cyberspace. At the time of this writing, a Google search produced over 29 MILLION hits! That's more pumpkin than Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater ever imagined!

Pumpkins are available in many varieties including: Spooktacular, Sugar Treat, Baby Bear, Funny Face, Ghost Rider, Happy Jack, Baby Boo, Sweetie Pie and Jack-Be-Quick.

Pumpkins are fruit, not vegetables. They are actually 90% water and are low in calories and high in fiber. They are an excellent source of vitamins A & B. The average pumpkin contains roughly 1 cup of seeds.

In the U.S., more than 50 million pumpkin pies are baked and consumed, each year. The biggest pie on record was made in February 2006, in Ohio. It weighed over 2000 pounds and required a mere 900 pounds of pumpkin.

'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' originally aired in 1966. After four long decades, Linus is still waiting in the same 'ole pumpkin patch. The show still airs, every year, around Halloween. It's still just as popular today and guaranteed to bring out the trick-or-treater in all of us.

Tired of karaoke, coin collecting or hunting the great outdoors? This year, try your hand at 'pumpkin chucking'. This activity is a favorite of the residents of Morton, Illinois. (A.K.A. pumpkin capitol of the world.)

As you can probably guess, pumpkin chucking involves catapulting a pumpkin as far as, humanly or mechanically, possible. What will they think of next?

Last but not least, pumpkin and/or pumpkin seeds are said to be home remedy for a variety of conditions such as acne, prostate problems and stomach ailments.