Pumpkin Processing

I’m not one for wasting anything and tossing out perfectly good pumpkins, just because it’s a change in seasonal decor, that is out of the question. Here’s what I do for Pumpkin Processing.

Reuse That Fall Decor

You bought a ton of pumpkins to decorate your porch with to get that ever so coveted Instagram worthy fall porch vignette shot. Or maybe you have a bunch of carved pumpkins from Halloween that is beginning to look sad rather than scary. Don’t go throwing those out just yet.

Every year people waste hundreds of dollars on perishable items for seasonal decor. Then proceed to purchase things they could have repurposed from the items they’ve just tossed. In turn not only spending more but wasting more. More money. More time. More energy. And the environmental costs as well. The items that took long rides in semi-trucks cost money and resources to grow are now headed to already packed landfills to rot.

I was raised to not be wasteful whether that was with money, food, time or energy. I was taught to be responsible and accountable for my choices and that’s translated into all facets of my life. So I ask myself before I purchase something how can I best use this to not only get the most for my money spent but also make this item last and get the most out of it? Is this a wise purchase? Or is this a waste of money?

Be Thoughtful

My philosophical ideas about money came from my father. He told me money was a tool, much like a hammer or a screwdriver. We use the money to purchase things we “NEED.” He always told me to take care of your “NEEDS” so then you can have your “WANTS.” He taught me to have two separate lists, one was my NEEDS the other my WANTS.

He’d say “Needs are basic necessities, such as food, water, shelter, and warmth.” On the other hand, “Wants are extravagances and splurges that aren’t necessary.” For example, you may NEED a new pair of shoes because your old shoes are falling apart and have no tread. But you WANT some expensive name brand shoes that are impractical because they make your legs look great. Better to get what you NEED. You get comfortable affordable and longer-lasting shoes that you will actually wear more often. Rather than the expensive shoes that look great but will only be worn a few times.

Consequently, this also works for seasonal decor. You may WANT pumpkins for fall decor, but you will be NEEDing pumpkin pies and desserts come Thanksgiving and Christmas anyways. So you can have both your NEEDs and your WANTs but you’ll have to be a bit smart and savvy if you want to pull this one-off.

Shop Locally

Firstly getting pumpkins from your nearest grocery store isn’t always the most cost-effective. And getting them too early or late in the season will either yield pumpkins that will not last the season or will be picked over leaving you with bruised and moldy pumpkins. The best bet is to head to your local pumpkin farm, u-pick tends to be more affordable and can make a great family tradition.

Family-run local farms not only helps the local economy but it helps to support small businesses and a local family. On top of that, the cost is much less than retail grocery stores. So you will be able to get even more pumpkins for your porch fall scape.

We chose our local pumpkin farm “Jackson’s Pumpkin Farm.” They had a wide selection of pumpkins, squash, and gords for all your fall decor needs. You can peruse their small country store that has lots of locally made and handcrafted items. We got a few things such as their caramel apples and cider donuts, along with the pumpkins we purchased. Which we will be using for Pumpkin Processing.

Getting to Pumpkin Processing

I normally just paint the pumpkins instead of carving them. Then I after Halloween I wash & scrub the paint off and cook them in the slow cooker. I don’t have a slow cooker anymore and have an instant pot. And although there is a slow cooker feature on the instant pot I preferred to use the pressure cooking feature to get the job done more quickly. So here is the step by step process of pumpkin processing of your leftover pumpkins.

Step One: Throughroughly scrub and clean your pumpkins and remove any areas that look off or have mold.

Step Two: Cut in half and remove seeds and pulp, set aside if planning to roast the seeds.

Step Three: Cut them into manageable pieces

Step Four: Pack them into your instant pot with 1 cup of water. Lock lid and set venting valve closed. Set to manual, high heat for 15mins. Let natural release.

Step Five: If using a slow cooker just add a cup of water and set to low for 6hrs or high for 4hrs or till the pumpkin is fork soft.

Step Six: Once your pumpkin is done put the cooked pumpkin in a bowl to cool further. Repeat the steps above if you have more pumpkin to cook.

Step Seven: While the next batch of pumpkin is cooking. Scoop or scrape the pumpkin meat off the skin. And measure out about into 2 cup portions or 1 lb weight which is enough to make one pumpkin pie.

Tips: I portion out my pumpkin into storage containers and freeze them. Then I just thaw out what I need for pies, cookies, bread or whatever you need it for.

The End