Fun facts about pumpkins

Hi Lovelies!

I was looking up some facts about pumpkins (per my daughter's request) since Halloween is a couple of weeks away. It just wouldn't be Halloween without the pumpkins. Am I right? So here we go! I hope you enjoy and learn something new!

Pumpkin facts:

1.  The word "pumpkin" showed up for the first time in the fairy tale Cinderella.

2.  The original jack-o-laterns were made with turnips and potatoes by the Irish.

3.  Over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year  in the United States.

4.  The world's largest pumpkin was more than five feet in diameter and weighed over 18000 pounds. 

5.  The largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2020 pounds.

6.  Each pumpkin has about 500 seeds. 

7.  Delaware hosts an annual "pumpkin chunkin" championship.

8.  There are about 45 different varieties of pumpkin.

9.  Pumpkins are fruits.

10. Pumpkins are 90% water.

11. Pumpkins are usually orange, but can sometimes be yellow, white, green, or red. 

12. A pumpkins is really a  squash.

13. Pumpkin flowers are edible. 

14. In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.

15. pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and for curing snake bites.

16. Native Americans flattened out strips of pumpkins, dried them, and used them as mats.  

~Angie