Video: Pumpkin Tips and Types at Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs
Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs offers tips on picking a pumpkin and shows the variety including jarrahdale (blue) pumpkins from India, the pretty Cinderella or even giant pumpkins weighing several hundred pounds.
Think that picking out a pumpkin is just about choosing between and orange squat and fat pumpkin or an orange tall and thin one? Think again. Pond Hill Farm in Harbor Springs runs through some tips for buying a pumpkin and then talks about some of the many varieties of pumpkins they grow. Here's just a few.
Cinderella
These bare quite a resemblance to that fabled carriage that had to get home by midnight. The Cinderella is actually a French heirloom whose name is actually "Rouge vif D'Etampes." Records indicate that the Cinderella was the pumpkin grown by Pilgrims and was a part of the second Thanksgiving dinner. Carve them, use them to decorate and use the meat in any pie or winter squash recipe.
Gargoyle
This variety has the straightforward look of a traditional pumpkin. It is hard shelled and you'll find it early in the season. You can identify a gargoyle by its distinctive occassional warts and large handle.
Jarrahdale Pumpkin
This pumpkin is perfect for creating a particularly creepy display because it isn't orange...it's blue. Actually, these Australian heirloom pumpkins are gorgeous, with deeply ribbed drum shapes and a silvery bluish-grey color. They look particularly beautiful in autumn moonlight. But beyond using the Jarrahdale for decorating, the nutty, sweet flavor of their stringless flesh makes them wonderful for cooking. One great suggestion? Carve out a Jarrahdale and fill it with a holiday soup or stew.
Giant
Giant pumpkins are growing...literally. The world record for these giant beauties was just set last week at an Ohio weigh off with one pumpkin weighing in at 1,725 pounds. Christy Harp, of Jackson Township, took first place at the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers' annual weigh-off on Saturday in Canfield. According to Harp, at one point in August, her prize-winning pumpkin was growing 33 pounds per day. The folks at Pond Hill Farm show off some of their first giant pumpkins on the screen.
Turn pumpkin picking into a fall outing in the Harbor Springs region. Here are more ideas!
- The Petoskey, Harbor Springs & Bay Harbor Vacation Directory: Listings to lodging, galleries, restaurants and more along with an interactive map.
- Petoskey, Harbor Springs & Bay Harbor Vacation Guide: Browse gorgeous articles connecting you to perfect beaches, Bayview Festivals, the Tunnel of Trees, ethnic eats and more.and click to hundreds of websites.
- Video: Tour Gorgeous Harbor Springs
- Video: Drive the Tunnel of Trees from Harbor Springs to Good Hart
- Video: A Musical Visit to Bay View
- Video: A Day in Petoskey
- The Complete Restaurant Guide for Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Bay Harbor: Just pop in the location where you'd like to eat and browse the wonderful array of restaurant choices.
- Plot your day in Petoskey/Harbor Springs using this Interactive Map: Choose an activity in "I'd like to find" and choose Petoskey, Harbor Springs or a nearby town for "in a town near." Then click away!
- Check out all the music, festivals, art and events of all kinds happening in Petoskey, Harbor Springs & Torch Lake!
- Rent a cottage in Petoskey, Harbor Springs & Bay Harbor: There hundreds of cottages to rent in Northern Michigan. Type the town you're interested in into the Search box and plan your getaway Up North!
