pumpkin Story by Chr stine Souza Photos by Lori Eanes Pick a
Today’s choices include a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and textures
Sitting atop hay bales at the R.A.M. Farms pumpkin patch in Turlock, excited kindergarteners learned there is more to this squash than the color orange and using it to carve jack-o-lanterns. “I want you to take your finger and, can you point to
Ca l i fornia farmers grow nearly 5,000 acres of pumpkins each year and the state ranks among the top five in terms of national production. Illinois leads, with most of its crop used for canned pumpkin pie filling. The Golden State’s pumpkins are primari ly grown for
an orange pumpkin? How about a red pumpk in? How about yellow? How about a pumpkin that has more than one color? How about a pumpkin that is bumpy?” asked farmer Karen Macedo, who captivated students visiting last fall from Hilmar’s Elim Elementary School. “Pumpkins come in different sizes, shapes and a variety of colors and they can be bumpy or smooth, but they all have several things in common: hard outer shells, ridges, and a stem end and a f lower end,” she said.
decoration and jack-o-lanterns. R . A .M. Fa rms i s one of Ca l i fornia’s many pumpk in patches, where visitors flock each fall in search of the perfect pick. Operated by Ron and Karen Macedo since 2007, the farm grows between 50 and 70 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash on about 40 acres, and hosts 15,000 visitors and 2,400 schoolchildren annually. Outdoor classroom While Ron Macedo handles the farming, Karen Macedo, a former teacher, has a knack for engaging young students about
Farmer Ron Macedo is joined by his wife, Karen, who runs the pumpkin patch and leads educational tours.
No ordinary orb Today’s pumpkins are anything but ordinary. They can be multicolored with hues ranging from pastel pink, blue or green to bright red, orange or yellow. Specialty varieties are known for shape or color, such as the f latter, orange Cinderella pumpkin and the Goblin, which is orange with green warts.
growing pumpkins, from seed to patch. “Most kids are amazed about all the different varieties of pumpkins we grow,” she said. “They like to be outside and they love science. Kids naturally like to see how the world works.” Each year frommid-September through October, fall
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