PLENTIFUL PUMPKINS: Autumn plant in high demand for carving
October 26, 2009 by MARIANNE ENGLISH
Filed under News
If only Linus could see the pumpkin industry of today – the “Great Pumpkins,” millions of them built for size, have arrived. With genetic engineering, better agricultural techniques and the creative demand to carve, the pumpkin market is a multi-billion dollar industry that satisfies the autumn crowd.
Beating the heat: Pumpkin growing in Georgia
Pumpkins, fruit members of the cucurbit family, are must-haves for many Americans in the fall. Speculated to have originated in the Western hemisphere, European explorers named the crop “pompon” or “pumpion,” which eventually evolved into “pumpkin” after colonists settled in the Americas.
Centuries later, Americans still use the pumpkin for cultural celebrations, food and as natural medicine in some cases. With several million pumpkins sold each year, farmers stay busy trying to satisfy the demand.
Pumpkins are warm-season annual plants, which take between 80 and 130 days to grow. In Georgia, pumpkin seeds are planted between mid-March and July for an October harvest.
“Cucurbita pepo is the species traditionally used for pumpkin production,” said George Boyhan, University extension-horticulturalist who specializes in vegetable and cucurbit production. “This is the same species as summer squash, but it is highly susceptible to a range of viruses and diseases.”
Varieties within this plant species differ physically, and some people do not know that crops such as summer squash and pumpkins are the same species, Boyhan said.
Georgia’s humidity and summer heat create conditions in which pathogens including fungi, viruses and bacteria can grow rapidly. In northern Georgia, farmers still risk losing much of their crop if they do not use pesticides or other preventative measures, since most diseases are easily spread by plant-eating insects called aphids, Boyhan said.
In fact, growing pumpkins in Georgia can be an expensive and risky practice altogether, with only 500 acres used for pumpkin farming in the state. The crop takes up a surprising amount of space, as pumpkin vines often reach more than 20 feet in length, Boyhan said.
Pumpkins are easier to grow in cooler summer climates found in states such as Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and California. Even in cooler climates, farmers still battle against weeds, soil acidity, insects and nematodes to produce robust pumpkins for Jack O’ Lanterns.
“It really depends on weather and fungus,” said John Washington, farmer and owner of Washington Farms in Watkinsville. “It’s too humid and too hot to effectively grow pumpkins in Georgia.”
WASHINGTON FARMS
More information: Washingtonfarms.net
Despite unfavorable crop conditions, Washington said he continues to produce pumpkins with the help of modern agricultural techniques.
Washington said he fumigates the soil and reuses the bed of plastic originally used to grow his strawberry crops. Washington saves money by reusing the plastic and reduces the chances of his pumpkins developing diseases by double cropping two unrelated plants that may not be vulnerable to similar diseases.
“Plasticulture [the use of plastics in agriculture] is a common method for production in Georgia,” Boyhan said. “It makes a lot more sense to utilize the plastic more than once, and there are several advantages because it warms the soil, prevents water loss and controls weeds.”
Using insecticides and horticultural oil are two other common, yet expensive practices.
Another issue in pumpkin production is managing to sell the crop. Since most buyers look carefully to find burnt orange, perfectly ribbed pumpkins, some with blemishes or cuts are left to rot.
Washington said he may not sell his entire patch this season because of continuous rain last weekend, since the two Saturdays before Halloween are the busiest times for the farm. Washington said some years he has had to purchase pumpkins from outside sources after he sells out of his own.
Regardless of profits and losses, Washington said he will never lose his passion for farming and providing an environment for the young and old to enjoy.
“I’m all about getting out there and playing in the dirt,” he said. “Most things today are based around being a spectator. Coming here allows people to participate rather than watch. It’s fun to provide this atmosphere for people to enjoy.”
Engineering an Orange Bulldog
Inspired to create a hearty pumpkin suitable for the South, Boyhan and two other University researchers engineered a pumpkin variety with increased disease resistance, especially against viruses. The group named the pumpkin variety the “Orange Bulldog,” and seeds have been available for the last two seasons, Boyhan said.
University researchers Gerard Krewer and Darby Granberry have worked with Boyhan since 1997 to develop the variety from pumpkin germplasms – genetic information stored in seeds – from South America.
“These pumpkins are larger and are not as susceptible to viruses as most Cucurbita pepo varieties are,” he said. “Right now, the University holds the patent for the variety.”
Boyhan, who is now working on building a new organic and sustainable crop program at the University, said pumpkins aren’t his primary focus, but enjoys working on side projects such as the Orange Bulldog.
Both Boyhan and Washington said they rarely grow tired with the crop.
“My house is surrounded by pumpkins,” Boyhan said. “We use them for decoration, and we’ve already made some pumpkin pie.”
Washington said his five children will probably carve a pumpkin this season, but he usually is more interested in watching others get messy.
“I haven’t carved a pumpkin in forever,” he said. “But I had a lot of fun watching the kids who come here on field trips hesitate to grab the ooey gooey, squishy pulp while deseeding. Seeing their faces is so funny.”
Jack O’ Lanterns: Carving through history
Carving pumpkins into scary or decorative Jack O’ Lanterns is one of the more popular activities associated with Halloween. Historically, many debate whether the Jack O’ Lantern originated in America or western Europe.
Some say the term was used to describe a man carrying a lantern, whereas others say the term derives from an Irish myth in which “Stingy Jack” cuts deals with the devil. In the tale, Stingy Jack tricks the devil several times and convinces him to promise he’ll never take Jack’s soul. After Jack dies, neither the devil nor God takes his soul, and he is left with a burning coal to light his way through the night.
The Irish called him “Jack of the Lantern,” which eventually evolved into the term used today. In Ireland and Scotland, people carved frightening faces into vegetables and potatoes, placing them near windows to ward off Stingy Jack and other evil spirits. They argue the tradition of carving Jack O’ Lanterns was brought to the United States through immigration, after which pumpkins became the new carving model. Some historians say there is no direct historical evidence for this claim.
Nevertheless, students recognize the Jack O’ Lantern as a symbol of Halloween, even if some have never carved a pumpkin before.
“Part of it is that it’s a plant that’s so much different from any other,” said Anna Parham, a second-year Athens Tech student from Watkinsville who has worked at Washington Farms for the past six years. “The shape and seeing how it grows is really cool. Carving pumpkins will always be a part of fall for me.”
Ashley Duhany, a fourth-year psychology major from Decatur, and Shantearia Williams, a fourth-year sports management major from Stone Mountain, said their families never carved pumpkins. Instead, they celebrated Halloween by having family get-togethers with food.
“I’ve never carved a pumpkin,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
Phoebe Eugenio, a second-year physical therapy major from Warner Robins, said her original home in the Philippines did not celebrate Halloween by carving pumpkins, but she picked up the tradition when she moved to the U.S.
“I haven’t carved a pumpkin here [in Athens] yet,” she said. “I did it at home [in Warner Robins], though. I’m not really good at it, so I always do it just for fun.”
Another student said carving Jack O’ Lanterns is an activity he believes is rooted in childhood.
“Carving pumpkins is always a family bonding type of thing,” said Trae Cown, a fourth-year dietetics major from Athens. “You’re more likely to do it in the future if you did it in the past.”
