Pumpkins
What Cities Claim To Be The Pumpkin Capital
Apr
What City Deserves Title of Pumpkin Capital?
Pick the city you feel deserves the title of Pumpkin Capital. Is it Morton with their Libby Pumpkin processing plant? Is it Floydada that grows lots and lots of pumpkins per acre? How about Half Moon Bay with their rich history and pumpkin festival? Of course Circleville and Keene could also make a claim given their pumpkin celebrations.
National Pumpkin Day is October 26, 2014
Mark your calendars so you don’t miss the National Pumpkin Day on October 26th. October has lots of important days such as Halloween (31st), Pumpkin Cheesecake Day (21st), Farmers Day (12th), and World Food Day (16th). These celebrities have their birthday on October 26th: Hillary Clinton, Keith Urban, Pat Sajak, Jaclyn Smith, Rita Wilson, and Seth MacFarlane.
What Cities Claim to be the Pumpkin Capital?
There are at least three cities that claim the title of Pumpkin Capital. Half Moon Bay, California lies on the coast between San Jose and San Francisco. Morton, Illinois is just east of Peoria. Floydada, Texas located near Lubbock also lays claim to the title. What is your favorite?
Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival October 18-19, 2014
This is the 44th year for this fall classic pumpkin festival in California. Do not miss the Safeway Pumpkin Weigh-Off, the variety of bands, food, entertainment, contests, and pumpkin pies, ice cream, pancakes, cheesecakes, and Harvest Ale. Also watch the costume contest, haunted barn, battle of the bands, and craftsmen.
Floydada Claims Pumpkin Capital Title with Punkin Day Festival
Imagine the small town of Floydada with just 1500 acres of pumpkins producing 50,000 pounds of pumpkins per acres or approximately 15-20 million pumpkins. The quantity and variety are unmatched for a similar size acreage anywhere in the country. The Punkin Day event began back in 1987. It runs the second weekend in October. This year it is on October 10-11, 2014.
Morton, Illinois Cans 80% of World’s Processed Pumpkins
Libby Pumpkins based in Morton, Illinois is the largest processor of pumpkins in the world. They sponsor the Morton Pumpkin Festival which runs in 2014 on September 10-13, 2014. The festival has run for 48 years. With Libby’s help, Morton lays claim to the Pumpkin Capital of the World title. Illinois produces more pumpkins than any state in the world. They feature a wide variety of entertainment and cooking clinics. Most of the pumpkins used for cooking at this festival are processed.
Jack Creek Farms Is A Fifth Generation Family Farm
This is a rather unique pumpkin producing farm and popular country store located in Templeton, California. The farm produces over 40 different varieties of pumpkins plus wheat, honey, gourds, peas, artichokes, apples, beans, pears, onions and more. They feature seasonal events including cider tasting, a pumpkin patch, a hay maze, and are an ideal place for birthday parties, farm tours, school groups, and of course Halloween activities. As farming has changed the store and pick you own entertainment have become a major cash source for this once traditional grain farm. Pumpkins are now the number one source of income. Say hello to Becky and Mandy when you visit Jack Creek Farms this fall.
Apparently the Illinois produced pumpkins consistently have the best taste for various reasons and that is a major reason why Nestle Libby’s processing and canning operation which produces 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin is located there.