Pumpkin Seed Harvesting

​There's a lot one can do with pumpkins, including carving, eating, decorating and displaying them. But how much do you and your kids really know about the round, orange items that seems to be everywhere this month of October?
 

​Before your start carving your jack-o-lantern, play a bit of pumpkin trivia with your family. Making a guessing game about how many seeds are in a pumpkin.  Guess a number before you actually count.

​Do you even know the answer without guessing?
 
The number and size of seeds in a pumpkin varies depending on the pumpkin size and other variables, such as pollination. To get a rough estimate of how many seeds the pumpkin contains, count the number of sections in the pumpkin and multiply by 16.

Now it’s time to think about what to do with the seeds.  Of course, roasting them is really good. ​

Check out the quick snack recipe LINKED HERE for a unique twist on the traditional roasting method.

We like to save a few for our next year’s garden.  Saving the seeds of pumpkins is not too hard, even for those who are just thinking about gardening for the first time.  A lot of us first thought about doing this when our kids were in kindergarten. This is a favorite fall activity.  The key to saving seeds is making sure you store them correctly until they’re ready to plant next spring.

​What’s Needed:
·        A large spoon
·        A medium-sized bowl
·        Colander
·        Paper Towel
·        Wax paper
·        Baking sheet
·        Zipper bag
·        Permanent marker
 
Here’s what you need to do:
STEP 1:  Separate the seeds from the pulp.  This is an oogey gooey mess that is almost as fun as finger painting in my opinion.
 
STEP 2:  Rinse the seeds in a colander. Be sure to get any extra pumpkin gunk off the seeds.
 
STEP 3:  Use a paper towel to blot the seeds dry.
 
STEP 4:  Spread the seeds out on wax paper and leave them out to dry all night. The wax paper is important to keep paper material from sticking and dying onto the seed.
 
STEP 5:  Line the seeds on top of a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and store for at least a week, if not more.  Put the seeds in one layer.  Be sure to store the seeds in a dry and cool place. We hide our on top of a cabinet. If they start to smell they didn’t dry enough and have started to mold.  Chances are they have gone bad and you’ll want to try again next year.
 
STEP 6: Your pumpkin seeds are now ready to be saved for the next season. Use the template linked here to make a seed bag.  Be sure to include information like the type of pumpkin and date you stored them.  Kids should add color and think about how they would sell these seeds in the marketplace.  Grab a zipper bag and put the seed pack inside. It is recommended that you add a folded paper towel in the bag before zipping it, to absorb any moisture that might sneak in. Store the seeds in a cool and dry place where you will remember them next spring!