Have you ever wondered why you carve a pumpkin for Halloween? Well, lucky for you there’s Google. Curious minds want to know and I’m here to help. I must say I was surprised at my search results. It was none other than the Irish that began the tradition. Here’s the story:
First, here’s a little history about October 31st. Halloween actually originated in Ireland. The Celtic-Irish celebrated October 31st as the end of summer and the start of a new year. This was the only night the boundaries between the living and the dead were broken. This was the night the recently departed could take over and enter the bodies of the living. Naturally, the living did not want to be possessed by these spirits so they dressed up in devilish costumes, turn out their lights, and do anything they could to scare the haints away.
As for the carved pumpkin, or “Jack O Lantern”, the story goes like this. Once upon a time, a drunken farmer named Jack, who upon his death, was rejected by both God and the Devil because of his dealings with the devil. He wandered through the darkness between heaven and hell using a lump of burning coal, which he stuck into a turnip to make his “O’Lantern” to guide his lost soul. There it is, Jack’s O’Lantern. People began crafting their own “turnip lamps” to scare him and any other wayward spirits away. The actually used turnips and potatoes, and the English carved beets to keep themselves safe from haints. It wasn’t until the immigrants landed in North America that the native pumpkin was used.
Yes, pumpkins are a huge business here. Over a billion pounds of pumpkins a year are grown worth about $106 million. Are you also curious about which state produces more pumpkins than any other American State? Our very own Illinois followed by California, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York contributing. You might ask, how big was the largest pumpkin ever? As of 2012, Rhode Island produced a pumpkin weighing 2,009 pounds. That’s a lot of pumpkin.
Last, but not least, what happens to the remaining poundage of pumpkins that are left over? They will be composted and recycled. Pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack and pumpkins are great food for wild animals. Hogs love to eat pumpkins so many hog farmers pick up the leftovers. Some are used for pumpkin chucking contests and others just shrivel up into the ground in hopes their seeds will take root and produce again the following year.
Happy Halloween this 2013!!