What is a pumpkin? A pumpkin is a kind of squash, and a member of the gourd family. Technically, the pumpkin itself is a fruit, although we use it as a vegetable in our cooking.

Pumpkin seeds are planted in groups called hills. The pumpkins are green or yellow when they are immature. They are not harvested until the skin is orange and tough, about 120 days after seeding, and they must be picked before a heavy frost occurs.

Pumpkins grow on vines which crawl along the ground. Melons, cucumbers, zucchini and gourds also grow on vines.

Pumpkins have been around a long time. Pumpkin seeds dating back to 7,000 B.C. have been found in caves in Mexico. Pumpkins were eaten in Africa, China and India in the 6th century.

Among the first to raise pumpkins were the American Indians. They cut pumpkins into rings and dried them to keep during the winter.

Pumpkin has been made into soups, stews, bread, pickles, pies, puddings, ice cream, and even beer or ale!

According to the Guiness Book of World Records, Jerry Ayers carved a ton of pumpkins in a record-setting 7 hours, 11 minutes on Oct. 16, 1999, at Kickman Farms in Ohio. Each pumpkin featured eyes, ears, a nose, mouth and eyebrows.