Pumpkin Crazy in Lancaster County

Whether it’s Fairytale, Cinderella, One Too Many or the plain old Jack-o-Lantern, Lancaster County is covered in pumpkins.  I recently visited two of my favorite farms to share some pictures with you.  They are right around the corner from The Artist's Inn.

As the summer landscape gives way to cooler weather, there’s no loss of color – from mums and asters of every color to the vast array of pumpkins that seem to float in fields around every turn.  Gourds of every size and shape decorate front porches, and roadside stands boast huge boulder-sized pumpkins of every shade of orange.  They seem to exist just to make us happy.

If you are lucky, you’ll take the time to explore some new varieties....and choose some to take home - they make great souvenirs!  But you’d better hurry – the heavy fall rains have left many pumpkins rotting in the field.  Be sure to store them out of the weather so they’ll last longer.

We admit it – we ARE pumpkin crazy.  

Look closely at the pumpkin on the left.  Luke carved the words in it when it was young, and as it grew, so did the welcome!  Of course, no fall decorations would be complete without including our own Cat in the Hat.  As you can see by his smile, he likes pumpkins too!

But my favorite pumpkin this year is one that no one can explain.  It has no name and grew in the middle of the gourd patch, looking a bit like a giant candy corn.

For more about pumpkins and gourds, read out other blogs on this subject: Lancaster County - The Land of Pumpkins!, Pumpkinology, and Gourd-o-Mania!

Lancaster County – The Land of Pumpkins!

It’s pumpkin time! Whether they grow them for fun or food, Lancaster County’s farmers sure know pumpkins. I never realized there were so many varieties before moving to Terre Hill.  Of course, you have your typical “face” pumpkins – great for carving on Halloween.  They are at every farm stand this time of year.

See how many of these others that you know.  Some of the names are as interesting as the varieties - Jack-be-Littles (tiny orange ones) and Little Octobers are shown with Baby Boo's (the tiny white ones pictured above).

The New Moon is white-ish and small and sit in front of the wagon. The big white rounded ones are called Full Moons.

In the back right of this picture, you'll see one of my favorites.  French Fairytales are elegant and very proud - with a lovely blend of green and orange and deep ridges.

It’s easy to see why the SuperFreaks get their name.

These light green, small pumpkins are called Jarrahdales and are terrific for baking.

Cinderellas are beautifully bright orange and squat - as though someone sat on them.  They too are among my favorites.  They are a unique French heirloom whose correct name is "Rouge vif D'Etampes". Some say they resemble the pumpkin that Cinderella's fairy godmother transformed into a carriage. And they were also served at the Pilgrim's second Thanksgiving dinner.

The peanut pumpkins are not to be confused with the Red Warty things.

Another one of my favorites – and a little hard to find – is the One Too Many. So pretty.

Pumpkins are great for decorating, no matter how you stack them – all the way up to Thanksgiving.

The Autumn Cups are small and dark green.

The Turk’s Turban is easy to remember..

As are the beehive - or maybe they are winter squash.  To tell you the truth, sometimes I have a hard time telling the squash from the pumpkins, but they are so much fun to decorate with, who cares? 

Perhaps the best part of pumpkin growing is catching a glimpse of orange in the fields as you drive along the back roads.  Slow down and you'll see them!

So if you just can't live without a pumpkin, or two, or twenty, head to Lancaster County and support our local farmers.  We'll be happy to share a list of the best pumpkin patches near The Artist's Inn.  But be warned - once you buy one, you'll want more.

Great Places to Shop in Lancaster County (Fourth in a Series)

Unlike my other blogs about places to shop, this post is not about one particular store. But it does describe one of the best things about living in Lancaster County: our local farm stands.

They carry a wide variety of fruit and produce so freshly picked that they sometimes still holds the warmth of the sun. To be able to get fresh asparagus in the spring, dozens of ears of corn in the summer, and pumpkins by the wagon load in the fall is pure joy to anyone who likes to cook, eat, or decorate!

Harvest time makes for a very special time to visit - as crops burst from every roadside stand and market.

To know that your purchases help support local farmers makes the shopping experience so much richer. We are grateful to have at least eight stands within two miles of The Artist’s Inn. Thank you to the farmers who work such long hours to bring us the best food around. And especially the ones who grow unusual crops – sugar plums, heirloom tomatoes, white peaches, chestnuts, ten different kinds of squash – you just never know what you’ll find!
One thing is almost guaranteed: you will find a money box; for these purchases are made on the honor system as most farmers are too busy to tend the stand. This is a tradition that is common to the locals, but surprises my guests, who are often from suburban areas.

So, if you can’t visit, I hope you enjoy this little blog journey today – a feast for not only our taste buds, but our eyes as well.