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Pumpkins in the fall marketplace have some of the highest demand from the consumer. Whether wholesaling or selling at a roadside stand or farmers' market, there is profitability in growing pumpkins. Planning and preparation for the upcoming season can be an extremely crucial step in any business.
Evaluating varietal performance from years past, predicting what the following season will bring, analyzing the customer base and buying trends and forecasting how the weather will be ' all of these factors can make for a tough and extensive planning process.
Like anything else, the seed industry is constantly evolving. There are new diseases, insect pressures and environmental stressors that breeders are constantly selecting resistance to in order to increase the quality of the varieties they introduce to the market.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting which pumpkin seed varieties you should grow for this season.
' Look for pumpkin seed varieties that produce thick, well-attached stems that stand out from the competition. Customers will naturally shy away from pumpkins that have short and flimsy stems and gravitate towards pumpkins with impressive, dark, thick stems.
Pictured: Cronus and Gladiator
2. Yield
' Make sure the pumpkin varieties you choose will make the highest profit per acre. If you have limited space, a difference between 1,500 fruit per acre and 2,500 fruit per acre can have a huge impact on your overall sales.
3. Maturity
' Choose a pumpkin seed variety that is well-adapted to your area. If it has been a wet spring in your area and you have missed your normal planting window, you may want to stay away from a 110-115 day variety. Look at earlier maturing varieties around 95-100 days to make up the time you've lost due to wet weather. Not having pumpkins ready to sell when you need them can be detrimental to your fall sales.
4. Disease Protection
' Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases that growers face today. If powdery mildew is an issue, choose pumpkin seed varieties that offer intermediate resistance to it. While they are not completely resistant, they do offer enough protection to help ensure a high-quality crop.
View Harris Seeds' Pumpkin Chart for relative days, weight, diameter, stem, shape, color, seeds/lb, and spacing.
Autumn means jack-o'-lanterns, pumpkin pie and, of course, pumpkin-spiced everything. While we worship the gourd this season, let's save some praise for the often overlooked pumpkin seed. Chock-full of protein, manganese (which helps reduce inflammation) and magnesium, pumpkin seeds are as healthy as they are delicious. Here's a primer for what you need to know about using pumpkin seeds. Next time you buy pumpkins for carving or to make dessert, don't let those scrumptious seeds go to waste!
Pepitas are a type of pumpkin seed, but you won't find them hiding in just any pumpkin. They are not, as many people think, the inside part of every pumpkin seed. Instead, pepitas actually grow shell-free only in Styrian or oil seed pumpkins. The olive-green seeds differ from the white-shelled counterparts you find in other pumpkin varieties. Before you waste your time, shelling those pumpkin seeds won't get you closer to pepitas.
Thin-skinned pepitas are magical: They can be eaten raw or roasted, as they are crunchy either way, so they require little to no prep work. Meanwhile, pumpkin seeds must be cleaned, dried and roasted, otherwise they are chewy and, well, kinda gross.
You'll find raw pepitas in many grocery stores in the same section where you find other seeds and nuts. For white-shelled pumpkin seeds, you'll typically need to excavate them yourself from a pumpkin. The seeds of larger pumpkins are chewier and more difficult to get crunchy, Seamus Mullen, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education, told TODAY Food, so if the seeds are what you are after, look for smaller pumpkins.
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If you do want to buy them, you can find roasted, salted pumpkin seeds on Nuts.com, where you can also find raw and roasted pepitas.
Scoop out the seeds with an ice cream scoop or large spoon.
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Once you bring your pumpkin home, cut off the top and scoop out the seeds with an ice cream scoop or large spoon. At this point, the seeds will be slimy, covered in lots of stringy pulp that you'll want to clean off.
It can be a pain, but Mullen shared his secrets for getting them clean: 'Add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of kosher salt, and just kind of rub it really well into those seeds. It'll help get some of the extra fibers and mealy gunk off of them. Then, run them under really hot water, or boil them for 5 minutes. Then strain them.'
Salt and rinse the seeds with hot water to remove any pumpkin pulp. The pulp should slide right off.
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To end up with the crispiest pumpkin seeds, make sure they are thoroughly dry before roasting them. 'I always put them into a salad spinner to get the majority of the moisture off,' Mulled said. 'You can line the salad spinner with a paper towel and it will absorb a little bit more of the moisture as it's sitting around.'
Additionally, said Mullen, to get them really crunchy, put the pumpkin seeds in a dehydrator or on a baking sheet in your oven, set at the lowest temperature, and leave them there overnight. Then take them out before increasing the oven temperature to roast them.
Now this is the fun part! Pumpkin seeds and pepitas are the perfect blank canvas for any flavor, making for a super addictive snack, whether your taste skews sweet or savory. Toss the clean, dry seeds in oil (olive oil, melted coconut oil or avocado oil work, depending on the flavor you're going for). Then, add a seasoning mix. A few ideas:
'I toss them with a little bit of olive oil and some garlic powder and salt,' Mullen said. After roasting them, I toss them with some chile powder and a squeeze of lime, for a really nice Mexican flavor.'
Start with 1 teaspoon of oil and 1 teaspoon of seasoning for every cup of seeds, and adjust as desired.
Roasted pumpkin seeds will turn golden brown. They smell like popcorn coming out of the oven!
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Set your oven to 400 F and roast the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. For pepitas, roast for the same amount of time at 350 F. Let cool and enjoy!
Roasted pepitas will get slightly browned.
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Pepitas, even in their raw form, are incredibly versatile. You can add them to homemade granola, cookies, atop salads and yogurt, mixed into veggie burger patties or even as a crunchy, decorative topping to your pumpkin desserts. You can grind them down with a little salt for an allergy-friendly peanut butter alternative. You can use them for a satisfying, nutty, dairy-free milk by soaking 1 cup of raw pepitas, straining and then blending that with 4 cups of water. You can use them as the base for vegan dips, pesto, salsa verde or salad dressings, blending soaked pepitas with a little water, herbs, salt and vinegar.
'I use them to add body to sauces,' Mullen said. 'So I'll do a chimichurri and then I'll rough chop pepitas and add them in. Or I'll blitz them in the Vitamix with some roasted vegetables, like roasted squash, add some olive oil, vinegar and herbs to make a romesco sauce. I use that with fish, grilled meat or just over other vegetables.'
However you enjoy pumpkin seeds or pepitas, there's no better time than now ' peak sweater weather! ' to start experimenting with them to upgrade your snacking and your cooking.