Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

The first year we had a garden here we had pumpkins, but for the last two years, the crops were destroyed by bugs.  So this year, after the potato crop failed, Dan planted pumpkins in their place.  Well, lo and behold, we got pumpkins.  Luckily, they were established ahead of the bugs, but they were ready to harvest early.  As in, Dan picked them on July 30th!

The main crop was on the other side of this fence.  The strong south wind blew some vines through the fence and we actually had pumpkins hanging from vines and not even touching the ground, as you can see here.

A wagon load of pumpkins.

Dominic, Catherine, and Anne washed all the pumpkins.

Our crop of 21 pumpkins drying on the driveway!

Then the pumpkins came inside to the kitchen/dining room to cure for a few days.  So we ate surrounded by pumpkins and posed with them.

Miraculously, none of them were smashed or knocked onto the floor.

One day, a pumpkin got placed on the cutting board,...

...sliced in half,...

...and the seeds were scooped out.

Dan cut thin slices.

One pan was savory, and he put the pan right on the grill.

Yum!

The other pan was sweet, with butter and brown sugar, and we started them in the microwave on the convection oven setting.  They seemed to be taking too long, so Dan finished them on the grill.

Then everyone dug in.  Some of the kids liked them a little, some a lot.  I thought both kinds were tasty.

I guess you had to be half on the table to properly appreciate the roasted pumpkin!

All the rest of the pumpkins are now in a corner of the basement where it is cooler, none of them touching each other.  We are attempting to keep many of them until October so we can use them for Fall/Halloween decorations.  Some we'll bake and puree when the weather gets cooler.