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Monday, October 24, 2022

When the Homegrown Pumpkin Patch is a Bust

 


These are not pumpkins that I grew in my little patch. I bought all of these at both WinCo (the large Jack o' lanterns) and the produce stand (the sugar pie pumpkins) today. I had intended to also buy some winter squash, but the prices seemed high to me this year. Prices ranged from 99 cents/lb to about $1.50/ lb for winter squash. I passed on buying those.

A few small pumpkins and squash did grow in my patch. But it's pretty evident that I need to work on the soil in that spot.

I am grateful for finding good prices on the farm-grown pumpkins -- the carving pumpkins (which I'll also use in cooking) at 28 cents/lb and the sugar pies at 79 cents/lb,  You can do a lot with both kinds of pumpkins. I used half of one of the smaller ones in dinner tonight, prepared as roasted pumpkin cubes. So delicious! I'll carve the largest Jack o' lantern on Halloween afternoon, then cook to puree the following day. The rest of the pumpkins should keep for about a month in my cool storage room, giving me ample time to either use in meals or cook and process for the freezer. 

What are pumpkin prices like in your area?

22 comments:

  1. Most of my winter squash were a bust this year as well, and they were in great soil that I've worked on for a long time. Just such a weird weather year, so hot and dry, and squash bugs and borers seemed worse (and earlier) than ever. The exceptions have been Tromboncinos, new to me this year, which can be eaten young much like zucchini or left to "ripen" and used as winter squash. We also had a few Long Pies from a very early volunteer vine that came up in the mint bed.

    As for pumpkin prices, the large decorative type are going for about $4 to $4.49 at Aldi the times I've looked. Also saw some at a Walmart a few hours east of me this weekend for the same price. Haven't really checked elsewhere or seen the smaller pie pumpkins yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cat,
      I'm sorry your winter squash didn't do as well as you'd hoped, too. I've not had problems with squash vine borers, yet. But of course, with gardening, that's always a "yet". I'm glad you had the two types that did well. Is there an easy, organic way to deal with vine borers?

      It frustrates me that the carving pumpkins are now priced per each instead of per pound, since I'm looking for veggies and making my choice based on price/pound. The carving pumpkins I bought at WinCo came to just under $10 for 4. These priced perf pound. I did choose only 1 really large and the other 3 smaller, for more manageability in cooking them. Anyways, I'm guessing the large one was about $4 and the smaller ones about $2 each.

      Delete
    2. Some folks have had success cutting out the vine borer, then wrapping the plant somehow (foil or the like) or putting that segment of the vine under some soil. We tried on one of ours without success, but I think we caught it rather late. I am really hoping they won't overwinter here and be an immediate issue next year. We'll need to be extra vigilant in watching for them.

      Delete
    3. Thanks for this info, Cat. Good luck with squash next year.

      Delete
  2. I haven't shopped for pumpkins, but I saw about the same price at Aldi's as Cat.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Live and Learn,
      Just curious, did you grow pumpkins in your garden this year?
      Thanks for the info on prices for pumpkins in your area.

      Delete
    2. No pumpkins this year. They take up a lot of room.

      Delete
    3. That they do. I didn't know if growing pumpkins would be your "thing" or not.

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  3. My son stopped by a roadside stand and there were three prices, small $1, medium $2, and large $3 for butternut squash. He bought the largest $2 one which we estimated to be between 2 and 2 1/2 lbs. so the price was between .80 and 1.00. Still kind of high in my opinion. Dad didn't grow them this year so I will use what I still have in my freezer from other years. A gentleman around the corner from us has grown them in the past and has given us several brown paper bags full in the past also. I'm hopeful for this year but he hasn't been well so I doubt it.

    Alice

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    Replies
    1. Hi Alice,
      It's been hard for me to get used to the higher prices on produce and everything else. Squash has always been one of those budget veggies in the fall. I'll keep watching for sales in the stores. I hope your gentleman neighbor has a few for you, after all.

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  4. I bought 3 pie pumpkins for $1.29 lb. Made one for my husband's birthday and he was very happy.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Cheryl,
      Oh, what a nice thing to do for your husband's birthday! I can just imagine how happy he was.

      Delete
  5. I was just at winco last Friday. Dd bought several pie pumpkins for 78 cents each. The regular ones were 25 cents a lb. I haven’t paid attention to them at wm. They sell them by the each. Ok, I just pulled them up on wm app. Pumpkins are $3.98. Pie pumpkins are $2.48.

    Winco had acorn squash for 49 cents a lb, and other varieties were 99 cents. I bought just a couple acorn, and one small butternut is all because I have some squash I bought in salt lake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did it again. It’s Diane

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    2. Hi Diane,
      Your WinCo prices are a bit lower than mine in the Seattle area. I'll be watching prices on acorn squash in the next few weeks, as that's the one that I usually see for the least per pound.
      Awesome price on the pie pumpkins that your daughter bought! I'd be thrilled with 78 cents/ea for the pie pumpkins. I'm so glad for her. And the 49 cents/lb on acorn squash is pretty good, too.

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  6. Jack-o-lantern pumpkins for decorating are $3.50 apiece at Aldi. I don't buy pie pumpkins--I just purchase canned pumpkin. Seems like the Aldi brand was under $2 a can but I can't remember what I paid.

    My husband usually buys a paper grocery bag of assorted squash sometime in November at one of the farmer's market vendors. The price is better that way--it can be a bit of a surprise with the squash varieties that you get, but we've enjoyed it. Then he roasts them in the oven and freezes them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Kris,
      Canned pumpkin is much more expensive this year in my area. Walmart has their Great Value brand for $1.47 (15 oz) this year, whereas in previous years I've bought it for 78 cents/can. WinCo only had name brands on canned pumpkin yesterday when I checked, Fred Meyer (Kroger affiliate) has 15 oz cans for $1.99. Previous years about $1.25. But I buy the whole fresh pie pumpkins, not for pureeing for baking, but to cube and roast as a side dish. I still have some canned pumpkin puree from last year. And I'll cook the carving pumpkins for puree in November.

      That's awesome about the bags of mixed squash. I've bought squash that I might not normally buy in the past because I got a deal on it, and it was fun trying the different ones.

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  7. Pumpkins are $9.98 each at our local Walmart. I haven't thought of buying the jackolantern pumpkins to eat. My concept of pumpkin is canned pureed, which I rarely buy, or the Japanese pumpkin that is greenish called kabocha in our local markets. We cook it soy sauce and sugar style. I would love to roast pumpkin. Can I roast the big jackolantern pumpkin, or only a special variety?

    Have a nice day,
    Laura

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    Replies
    1. I don't know if you can roast them, but I tried making a pie out of one when I was in college and didn't know there was a difference between pie pumpkins and jack o lanterns. Not recommended. It was edible, sort of. Makes a funny story, at least.

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    2. Hi Laura,
      wow, that sounds so expensive. I wonder if canned pumpkin might actually be the less expensive alternative for you.

      As for your question, the Jack o' lantern pumpkins are often less dense and more watery, plus more stringy. We've eaten them oven-roasted, then scooped out of the shell and mashed. But we prefer to puree them in the food processor and drain in a strainer. I save this drained-off liquid for soup stock and use the puree in pies, quick breads, and soup. I'm not sure what Kris's situation was with her fresh pumpkin cooking experience. But I've cooked and pureed Jack o' lanterns for many years. They're not as sweet as pie pumpkins or winter squash, but they have worked in pies for me. My husband and I have had to try eating a lot of very cheap foods in our marriage, out of necessity. Jack o' lantern pumpkins have been one of those. I used to get large pumpkins for free the day after Halloween at one grocery store. When they stopped doing that, I was able to get pumpkins and winter squash for free from a local nursery/home decor store in November, when they were setting up for their Christmas displays. The pumpkins were always the large Jack o' lantern types.

      If you want a pumpkin that is more like winter squash in texture, water content, and flavor, look for sugar pie pumpkins. In my area, sugar pie pumpkins were less expensive than the winter squash.

      Hope this helps.

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    3. Thank you Kris and Lili for sharing your experience with the Jack o Lantern pumpkins, though you can, it may not be optimal. I am surprised how cheap pumpkins are in the mainland. I can understand your interest, Lili, in learning to process the pumpkins and use every bit. I'll keep an eye on the price of pumpkins after Halloween and give it a try. We don't have a garden this year, so even watermelon rinds and cheaper vegetable sources are appreciated. We have stopped making lentil sprouts because our batches didn't sprout well (your sprouts look great). Then I read that only sprouting lentils should be used, so I'm looking into that.

      Laura

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    4. Hi Laura,
      That's interesting about your recent lentil sprouts. I wonder if your lentils have been treated in some way, heat or irradiated, to kill pest larvae? I hope you can find sprouting lentils at a good price.

      Delete

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