Pumpkin prices?

[TigH]

Good Monday morning, everyone!

Just wondering if any of you have purchased pumpkins yet. If so, what was the cost? My sister and I bought our pumpkins yesterday. Needless to say, pickings were slim. Pumpkins don't last too long in our sticky, warm weather. I told my sister the other day that we would pay a price, and we sure did. We each bought TWO pumpkins and we each paid $22.00!!! These are not gargantuan pumpkins - just big enough to put one of those paper stencils on so we can carve something really neat.

I know we used to buy the same sized pumpkins in Maryland for half of what we paid yesterday. We both vowed to grow our own next year, however, I don't know if one can actually grow pumpkins in Florida. Anyone have any idea if it's possible?

We did our share of mumbling over the prices after we got into the truck and drove away from the lot. The mumbling only lasted a few seconds though, because we were happy to at least have the pumpkins and we are anxious for Wednesday night to arrive so we can carve them! Woo-hoo! I'm 33 and she's 31 and we have carved pumpkins together ever since we were little kids.

Hopefully I will get some good pictures of the finished products to share here on Halloween.

 

[gina2000]

That's a wonderful story, TigH. I think it would be fun to always carve a pumpkin with a sister. We just never did that! Perhaps it will become a tradition in the making!


Pumpkins seem to be alot more expensive around here if you go to the farm and do the pumpkin patch, hayride, corn maze thing. I guess they have to make their money on the pumpkins in order to finance the kids' activities. We always enjoy it, though.

And $22 for 2 pumpkins (under the above circumstances) sounds pretty normal.

Hard to believe, eh???


Happy carving!

 

[Mamu]

Pumpkin Carving Parties are the best. We just spent 2 day carving pumpkins. I think any time you can do things together with family members it makes that occasion all the more special.

While I do agree when you go to the pumpkin patch the prices are a little more expensive. I never put a price on togetherness. Although I do like a bargin.

About a month ago I stopped off at supermarket that was running a special on pumpkins. $2.50 each, not little ones either. Knowing the whole family would be getting together for pumpkin carving I purchased 15 of them. Had to make 3 trips. DH went crazy when he came home and saw them all lined up on the deck. I was so tired from carrying them from the car to the deck, I never heard a word of his ranting.

 

[sorcerormickey]

Wow, Tig H, that's really high. At the nursery where I work, we sell ours for 25 cents a pound, with a $6 maximum. I don't think that bad at all.

 

[TigH]

Thanks, guys!

Not that my brain is too rusty (yet) but I was sure we paid a bunch more for these pumpkins than we paid in Maryland.

Anyway, we did pick some good ones and we are really anxious to find some COOL free patterns. I have scoured the internet and found a few neat ones, but haven't printed them off yet. I know I have some Tigger patterns around here *somewhere* but I will probably find those when we drag out the Christmas decorations (hee hee hee!)

Mamu - when can I move in? 2 days carving pumpkins - that sounds like fun!

I remember the second Halloween that my husband and I were dating. He went with us to pick out a pumpkin. We got back to my parents house and started carving. It was then that I found out he had never carved a pumpkin before! My sister and I were in shock! The first pumpkin he carved was with us! He did a great job too. He's the first to admit that he isn't as gung-ho about it as we are, but he is willing to carve one out every year now.

We used to go to a farm north of Baltimore for the hay ride and pumpkin patch experience. However, the owner of the farm was a guy I used to work with, so he always cut us a deal. If we didn't get pumpkins from him, we'd get them locally (Southern Maryland) and pay about $6-7 per pumpkin. For $20 we'd get two nice sized pumpkins and several neat looking gourds.

 

[amid chaos]

We paid 17 $ for 2 medium sized pumpkins and 6 gourds.

Love the decorating stories...and thank you for the mental image mamu of you carrying allthose pumpkins out of the grocery store.

And I really want you to get a digital camara...ok, Mamu? Would love to see pictures of the pumpkins lines up on the deck.

 

[Mamu]

Digital camera coming soon. Hopefully before our Florida trip. I seem to have so many other priorities first. (like pumpkins) Today I going to pick out a new den set. Camera off the list for this month.

For now it's has to be visual images. Oh by the way some of the pumpkin designs. Headless Horseman by DD. Haunted Mansion by DIL. Harvest Scene by another DD. Lots of Kitty Cats by Granddaughters. A few Sheletons. Mamu creation Spider Webs with lots of Spiders. I carved and sculped the whole pumpkin. Took me 2 days to do it. No templates for Nathan he created his own pumpkin guy, with a little mustache.

 

[Jeannie]

That's some big pumpkin bucks! Brian and Katie bought a nice one at Home Depot a few days ago for $2.99. Katie is our official carver - has her own set of pumpkin tools and stencils! She did a great job. Unfortunately the squirrels here are known for their love of pumpkins. They ate part of the mouth area of the one she carved and ate half of my uncarved pumpkin. You should see the size of the pulp and seed shells pile they left behind! Sheesh

 

[Snowwark]

Welcome to the Flower & Garden board, Jeannie! It's nice to have you join us. Messy little monsters those squirels can be!! I had one that ripped apart a planter, and after that became know as the little SOBT ...Squirrel On Borrowed Time.

We'd love to hear more about your gardens, I hope you'll come back and stay for awhile.

This is great, what interesting family stories! You guys are all very creative, and I think it's great that you have these fun traditions! It doesn't matter what age you are, as long as you're together and enjoying yourselves.

TigH, we haven't bought our pumpkins yet, but up here we should be able to get a good one for less than $5.

I prepare the pumpkin, and DH usually does the carving. He's made some awesome pumpkings in the past, we'll have to wait and see what this years "face" will be.

Mamu, I am thrilled to hear that you are going to get a digital camera!

 

[TigH]

I posted links to our carved pumpkins on the CB. Hope it's ok to post the links here as well!

<a href="http://www.rossandkaren.org/allfour.jpg">All four of the pumpkins</a>

<a href="http://www.rossandkaren.org/trad_melt.jpg">Traditional and melted face</a>

<a href="http://www.rossandkaren.org/melt_tux.jpg">Melted face and Tux</a>

<a href="http://www.rossandkaren.org/calvin.jpg">Calvin making a face</a>

We saved some pumpkin seeds and roasted them. Yummity-yum!

I was going to try to convert a photo of my husband's face into a template, but I chickened out (didn't want to carve up my $$$ pumpkin and make a big mistake!) Hopefully next year I'll have a bit more confidence.

Happy Halloween to all my "buds"!

 

[Mamu]

TigH the pumpkins look great. It's such a fun time carving them.

 

[Snowwark]

BRAVO!! They look great TigH! You guys did a wonderful job!

I think I like the penguin the best!!

Happy Halloween!