October means pumpkin time and Pumpkin Picking On Long Island. Every year we visit the Stakey Pumpkin Farm for the best pumpkin picking on Long Island. Getting lost in the Corn Maze is also alot of fun. Halloween and Pumpkin picking time is persoanlly one of my favorite times of the year. This is our first Halloween here at Good Long Island Eats and nothing could have been better then taking a few moments to speak with the best pumpkin farmer around Jim Stakey himself.
Does size matter will a bigger pumpkin taste better then a smaller one?
Small pie type (3 to 5 pounds) pumpkins have better flavor than big Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins. All pumpkins make good pies.
Will a bigger pumpkin last longer then a smaller one?
No. Small pie type pumpkins last longer.
What are the best ways to preserve your pumpkin before and after carving?
Avoid bumps and bruises. Keep the pumpkin cool but avoid frost and freezing. Once you cut the skin, the pumpkin will begin to deteriorate. The best way to preserve a carved pumpkin is to take good pictures of it.
What’s the difference between a pumpkin and a gourd?
They are different species of the same plant family that includes cucumbers, squashes, cantaloupes and watermelons. Pumpkins have a thin skin and thick edible flesh. Gourds have a thick hard shell and no edible flesh. The seeds of both species are edible.
How long should a pumpkin last carved and uncarved.
A carved pumpkin will last about a week, then slowly turn into a “science project” as it decomposes. An uncarved pumpkin will last for many months if:
1/ it is fully ripe when picked,
2/ it is protected from cuts and bumps that break the skin, and
3/ it is protected from freezing.
Wiping your pumpkin with a mild bleach solution will reduce the chance of molds and rots attacking it.
How many pumpkin seeds are in an average pumpkin?
Hundreds!
Do you have any tips to help people pick out a good pumpkin? Size, Texture, weight? Any suggestions you could offer would be great?
Every pumpkin is a good pumpkin! Pick a pumpkin that matches your personality or your mood. A little guy might want a pumpkin that he can carry himself or a giant that his Dad has to struggle with. If you want to cook your pumpkin as a vegetable or in a soup, select the smaller pumpkins with thicker flesh. The best “pumpkin” pies are made from Boston Marrow squash but all pumpkins and all winter squashes make good pies. If you want to make a really frightful Jack-O-Lantern you need to get a big one that is either perfectly round and symmetrical or really ugly and gnarly — it’s up to you!!
Special thanks again to Jim Stakey at Stakey’s Pumpkin Farm for answering all of our questions and helping every one get the most out of their pumpking picking fun this year.
Give them a visit, and when you carve your pumpkins we want to see them. We will even feature them on the site. Send a picture of your pumpkin along with your name and age to: Editor@goodlongislandeats.com Carved pumpkins of all types sizes, from all age groups are welcome.
http://www.stakeyspumpkinfarm.com/
270 WEST LANE, P.O. BOX 950
AQUEBOGUE, NY 11931
Phone: (631) 722-3467
In an effort to fill the empty shelves at local food pantries, John Kowalenko and Cheryl Stair of Art of Eating and Hampton Event Management International ([631] 267-3312) presents “Ladles of Love,” a concert fundraiser 
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