Here are 4 creative ways to deal with all your spooky Halloween pumpkins before they get scarier than you intended
- Cook them
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Who doesn’t love pumpkin-flavored foods?!
If it is both uncarved and uncut, your pumpkin can be enjoyed in so many types of dishes from pumpkin pie to an actual pumpkin spiced latte, so check out the links below for some super cool recipes to get the most out of your clean pumpkins!
https://www.inspiredtaste.net/8419/pumpkin-spice-latte-at-home-recipe/
https://www.acouplecooks.com/pumpkin-bread-recipe/
https://cookieandkate.com/creamy-vegan-pumpkin-soup/
https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/perfect-pumpkin-pie.html
https://www.acouplecooks.com/pumpkin-baked-oatmeal/
You can also roast the seeds with the simple recipe linked below. All you need is butter, salt, and whatever extra seasoning you want: savory or sweet!
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13768/roasted-pumpkin-seeds/
- SMASH them up
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Starting Nov. 5 and running through Nov. 12, get rid of your pumpkins in a fun way!
Rivanna Authourities is hosting their 5th Annual Pumpkin Smash and its a great way to go green and compost your pumpkins. All you have to do is remove anything that is inorganic such as candles, wax, and lights, and bring your pumpkins to the McIntire Recycling Center from 8:30-5:30, and the disposal center will take care of the rest for free!
https://www.rivanna.org/event/5th-annual-great-pumpkin-smash/?instance_id=743
- Donate them
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From pig farms to local orgs, theres lots of places to donate your pumpkins and do good!
If they are uncut, without mold or paint, donate them to a pig farm! They act as excellent feed and a super tasty treat to the animals in both farms and sanctuaries. These farms can also use donated pumpkins for compost to fertilize their land.
Use this link to find different farms for all your extra pumpkins!
https://pumpkinsforpigs.org/virginia/
Another option is Rangers Refuge at Gallastar, which is about a 30 minute drive from grounds!
https://rangersrefugeatgallastar.com/
Cville Refill
After donating, you can go into the store and enter into a $30 dollar gift card. It gives back to give back!
- Accidentally grow Them until you have a pumpkin army?
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I will say this one comes from personal experience! A couple of years ago, my family had some extra pumpkins, and instead of throwing them out, my mom and my sisters just moved them to our garden to decompose. Turns out that with enough space, and seasonal rain, you can grow pumpkins really naturally! It was a surprise for all of us to see pumpkins growing in our yard a year after and an even bigger surprise for my dad who didn’t know our disposal methods weren’t exactly…protocol per se.
So take my advice for a fun surprise when Halloween comes around next year! If you have a yard or a plot of land, toss your (slightly rotting) pumpkins in it. No need for watering or pruning since Virginia has pretty regular rain and, in my experience at least, they’re pretty fuss-free so you can just sit back and watch them grow!