Page 32 - Oundle Life October 2023

PUMPKINS
Don’t throw them away – use them!
Don’t be tricked into sending your pumpkin to landfill this year. With so many of us now buying pumpkins for Halloween we are seeing a scary amount end up as waste. If you don’t intend to carve yours it will keep for many months if stored in a cool, dry place. Here are some ideas to ensure that your pumpkin sees life beyond October!
· Eat it: pumpkins taste good in just about anything and are incredibly nutritious. Packed with vitamins A and C, zinc and potassium, they will help get you ready for cold and flu season. Try Pumpkin pie, soup or a tasty pumpkin and sage risotto. Remember, it’s easier to remove the skin once the pumpkin is cooked.
· Freeze the puree: freeze in ice cube trays to add to pumpkin spiced lattes, smoothies, stews and soups.
· Roast the seeds: for a wonderfully nutritious snack.
· Make a bird feeder: cut the top of the
· ·
pumpkin off, scoop out the flesh and use a skewer to make four holes in the side about halfway down – big enough for a stick to fit through (make two pairs opposite each other). Poke a stick through two of the holes and repeat through the other two so that the sticks cross in the middle. Ensure there is enough stick poking out to allow for a perch and to attach string to hang the pumpkin from a branch. Fill with your choice of wild bird feed!
Animal feed: cows, pigs and chickens love pumpkins. Some farms, zoos and animal shelters accept donated pumpkins.
Compost: if you have the space, pumpkins will make wonderful rich compost. If you don’t make compost, be sure to put it in your food caddy rather than the waste bin.
32
Article kindly supplied by Tessa at Fotheringhay Pumpkin Patch, which is open every weekend in October from the 7th.