Now that November is here, it is time to start focusing on family, preparing for winter, and maybe that man in a red suit with a white beard. No matter what your November looks like, it is time to figure out what to do with your Jack-o-lantern. Instead of throwing away your pumpkin and letting it go to a landfill, let Tentree help you get creative in environmentally friendly ways!
Cute Decoration
If you do not carve your pumpkins, try a cute DIY to add new life to your pumpkin patch find. Carve a hole on top, empty the seeds, drill a hole in the bottom, and add flowers! Boom, instant fall vase. Or if you do not have time to DIY, simply leave your pumpkin out through November. Autumn is the harvest season and lasts until December. Celebrate throughout the entire season by keeping your pumpkin.
Feed Yourself
Another great use is by bringing the pumpkin into the kitchen. Start by removing the seeds and toasting them for a yummy snack! Pumpkin seeds are a great source of iron and calcium, and they taste great too. After you removed the seeds, make some pumpkin puree. Begin by quartering your pumpkin and laying it on its side in a pan filled with a cup of water. Stick it in the oven for 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a knife can pierce through. Then remove the pumpkin from its skin and add it to a food processor to make a puree.
Give Back to the Earth
Instead of throwing your Jack-o-lantern away this year, compost or bury it. To compost, simply cut the pumpkin into small pieces and add the pieces to your green bin or compost. To bury the pumpkin, all you have to do is bury it. Microbes and other critters will break it down into the soil.
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Feed the Animals
If your neighborhood is heavily populated with birds and squirrels, try feeding the pumpkin to them. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and leave it in your yard. Pumpkin is safe as long as you did not season or salt it. Or, better yet, if you have chickens or know someone who does, feed the pumpkin to them. Pumpkin has vitamins A, B, C, E, and Zinc, super good for chickens.