Pumpkins in October is an iconic symbol, have been grown in North America for five thousand years.

According to a University of Missouri article, both Native Americans and colonists relied heavily on pumpkins. Natives dried strips of the gourds and wove them into mats while the settlers cut off the tops, removed seeds and mixed the remaining pumpkin mass with milk, spices and honey. This was later baked and is thought to be the origin of our modern pumpkin pie.

Jack-o-lanterns, another integral part of the pumpkin world, have Irish roots that are actually turnip-centric. Turnips played a role in the legend of “Stingy Jack” who tricked the devil, was later refused entrance into hell and only given a burning lump of coal to guide his way. It’s said that Jack put the coal into a hollowed-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth since.

According to History.com, people in Ireland and Scotland would make their own “Jack’s lanterns” by carving frightening faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows to ward off evil spirits. When these immigrants arrived in the United States they found pumpkins to be the ideal turnip replacement. 

Starbucks — American emblem and global unifier that’s as prevalent as Disney — first put out the Pumpkin Spice Latte(PSL) in 2003. The festive beverage was an instant hit upon launch in spite of two glaring factors. One, it was originally called the “Fall Harvest Latte” and two, the drink contained zero amounts of pumpkin. It wasn’t until 2015 that Starbucks began including actual pumpkin in the PSL.

Why were they so popular? Adweek hypothesizes that popularity of the beverage “likely stems from Americans’ nostalgia and reverence for Thanksgiving, where pumpkin pie is a staple,” though it’s hard to pinpoint when that morphed into an excuse to go to the pumpkin patch wearing Uggs and a beanie. 

Here are some more pumpkin facts and not-basic pumpkin things to get you in the swing of the season:

Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.

Pumpkins are actually a fruit(many people think it should be our national fruit).

Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States are available in October.

The heaviest pumpkin ever grown weighed 2,528 lbs. and was grown by Steve Geddes of Boscawen, New Hampshire in 2018.

And of course, where else would you get your pumpkins other than Marin’s premier pumpkin patch, Nicasio Valley Farms! The farm is adjacent to Nicasio Valley Cheese Company’s tasting room, nine miles west of Highway 101 via Lucas Valley Road. It’s open every day through October 31 from 10AM to 6PM.

You can pick out your own certified organic pumpkins and enjoy attractions such as hayrides, farm animals (cute little pigs, sheep and young cows), pony rides, mechanical bulls, a bounce house, an inflatable slide, and a farm stand. Pumpkin varieties range from the standard-issue Halloween orange to white, green Italian and Australian varieties. Warty French pumpkins and European “Cinderella” style squash offer alternatives to traditional “jack-o-lantern” gourds too, for a bit of variety. The farmstand also offers squash, small gourds, decorative corn stalks, and apples.

On weekends, Big Jim’s award-winning BBQ (pulled pork, chicken, tri-tip, sausages, and hot dogs) and Tara’s Organic ice cream are for sale and popular children’s recording artist Tim Cain performs every Sunday (October 5, 12, 19, and 26) from 11AM to noon. The six-piece Western band Manzanita Moon performs Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 12:30 PM to 4:30PM  and the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) Day takes place Sunday, October 19 from 10AM to 4PM  with kids’ games and crafts, farm animals, grass-fed burgers from Stemple Creek Ranch, locally-produced Marin beer and wine, and educational exhibits.

Hope you enjoyed and let’s start the season strong!