{"id":2287,"date":"2015-10-15T15:23:50","date_gmt":"2015-10-15T15:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.geraniumhomes.com\/blog\/?p=2287"},"modified":"2015-11-16T19:52:59","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T19:52:59","slug":"pumpkinpicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/pumpkinpicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips & Tricks for Great Pumpkin Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Move over Charlie Brown, the time has come for families to embark on the search for the \u201cGreat Pumpkin<\/a>\u201d. \u00a0As the weather turns crisp, thoughts of hayrides and harvest fill the air and families look forward to that local pumpkin patch excursion. Whether your goal is to \u201csquash\u201d the competition and find the largest pumpkin on the patch or simply decorate the home with gourd-geous gourds it\u2019s your time to face this Fall tradition.\u00a0 And there\u2019s no better place to find all this and support your local farmers, than at neighbourhood pumpkin patch or market.<\/p>\n

That’s why we\u2019ve harvested some great tips for your family for\u00a0picking pumpkins.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

It’s always great to support local farmers<\/a> during the Fall season.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dress for Success<\/strong>
\nWhen you\u2019re planning a trip to the Pumpkin Patch it’s important to dress appropriately. A seasonal scarf, jeans, and of course anything flannel, is the perfect attire for this excursion. Boots and outdoor shoes are very important as pumpkins grow on the ground therefore the ground could be quite muddy and wet depending on the weather. \u00a0Why not treat yourself to a pumpkin spice latte <\/a>for the trip?<\/p>\n

Side note: If you\u2019re capturing your visit on camera, make sure not to dress the kids in bold patterns or the colour orange as they shouldn\u2019t blend<\/a> into the background but rather contrast with the pumpkin patch decor.<\/p>\n

\"Thanks<\/a>

Thanks Linn<\/a>,\u00a0for showing us how you dress to impress at the Pumpkin Patch!<\/p><\/div>\n

Finding the Perfect Pumpkin<\/b>
\nPumpkins should be fully mature when picked. \u00a0We found some great tips for choosing the perfect pumpkin<\/a>: look for firm pumpkins, watch out for\u00a0soft spots and dark bruises, \u00a0and always avoid picking up the pumpkin from the stem. Even the smallest nick could lead to an infection, and the goal should be to pick a long-lasting pumpkin. Don\u2019t worry about those dents, blemishes or odd shapes, they add to the character. Just be sure that the pumpkin can stand up without falling over.\u00a0 When it comes to Jack-O-Lanterns<\/a> delay the decay, \u00a0if possible pick your pumpkin straight from the vine as it will give you a longer lasting pumpkin as it sits on your porch.<\/p>\n

\"It\u2019s<\/a>

It\u2019s easy to get lost in the diverse world of pumpkin things<\/a>, so know what you want before you get there.<\/p><\/div>\n

Preserve Those Pumpkins<\/b>
\nWhile you might already be in full swing with your Fall decorating it\u2018s important to make those pumpkins and gourds last throughout the month. On average a pumpkin should last 3-4 weeks if you follow a simple pumpkin cleaning recipe. Here\u2019s a great tip<\/a> for extending the life of your pumpkins.<\/p>\n

\"how-to-preserve-pumpkins-for-fall-decorating-cleaning-tips-outdoor-living-painting\"<\/a>

One of the tips<\/a> is to wash your pumpkin in bleach, hot water and dish soap.<\/p><\/div>\n

Storage<\/b>
\nMake sure you store your pumpkin in a dry and cool space. \u00a0If you\u2019re planning on keeping it long term don’t store it on concrete, as it will cause early bruising. \u00a0However, if concrete is your only option, make sure its sitting on top of a layer of cardboard. Following these steps<\/a> will prolong the colour and quality of the pumpkin, which is important whether you\u2019re planning on carving it for Halloween or cooking it for a later date.<\/p>\n

\"It's<\/a>

Thanks to Kristie <\/a>for these great tips on extending the life of your pumpkin!<\/p><\/div>\n

Make Memories<\/b>
\nGoing to the pumpkin patch is a perfect opportunity to make memories with your family. Each patch provides a unique experience. Often times you\u2019ll find animal petting areas, picnic spots, corn mazes, tractor rides for the kids and more. So whether there is a carving station, face painting or a place to decorate your pumpkins, there really is something fun for the entire family. While you\u2019re making memories with the family to capture your visit. \u00a0Supporting your local farmers and markets is also important. \u00a0Here’s\u00a0a list of the top pumpkin patches close to Stouffville and within the GTA<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A festive haybale at Reesor’s Market & Bakery<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

Carving & Decorating<\/b>
\nLooking for unique ideas on decorating your pumpkin? Check out our blog<\/a> to create pumpkins with personality!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Move over Charlie Brown, the time has come for families to embark on the search for the \u201cGreat Pumpkin\u201d. As the weather turns crisp, thoughts of hayrides and harvest fill the air and families look forward to that local pumpkin patch excursion. Whether your goal is to READ MORE ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[322,126,132,324,318,295,323,123,578,88],"class_list":["post-2287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-outdoor-living","tag-buy-local","tag-carving-pumpkins","tag-decorating","tag-dressing-warm","tag-fall","tag-family","tag-pumpkin-farms","tag-pumpkins","tag-stouffville","tag-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2287"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2381,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2287\/revisions\/2381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geranium.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}