Now that's a pumpkin ! Good Morning Crossville, Tennessee. Looking for pumpkin patches, carving tips, maybe a recipe for great pumpkin pie !

How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie - from a Real Pumpkin, Not a Can!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium sugar pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups evaporated milk
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

DIRECTIONS

1.   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cut out top of pumpkin and clean out all seeds and strings from inside. Slice pumpkin vertically into 3 inch wide strips. Place strips onto a baking sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour. Once done, scrape the pumpkin from the skins, then beat with a mixer or puree in a food processor until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
5. Mix the nutmeg, ginger, salt, evaporated milk and eggs with the pumpkin puree. Pour mixture into two 9 inch pie crusts.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool and refrigerate.

    

   Pumpkin Facts

   • Pumpkins are fruits, a type of squash that cucumbers, squashes and melons.
   • Pumpkins are native to North America and have been domestically grown there for five thousand years.  
   • In 1584, after French explorer Jacques Cartier explored the Saint Lawrence region of North America, he reported finding "gros melons" (large melons). The name was translated into English as "pompions," which has since evolved into the modern "pumpkin."
   • Pumpkins are low in calories, fat, and sodium and high in fiber. They are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, potassium, protein, and iron.
   • The largest pumpkin ever grown was over 1100 by a man in Ohio, in 2000.
   • Pumpkins require a long hot growing season and loads of humus, manure and water.
   • Pumpkin seeds can be roasted as a snack.
   • Pumpkins contain potassium and Vitamin A.
   • Pumpkins are used for feed for animals.
   • Pumpkin flowers are edible.
   • Pumpkins are used to make soups, pies and breads.
   • The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake. 
   • Pumpkins are members of the vine crops family called cucurbits. They are easy to grow! 
   • Pumpkins originated in Central America.
   • In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.
   • Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
   • Pumpkins range in size from less than a pound to over 1,000 pounds.
   • The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.
   • The name pumpkin originated from "pepon" - the Greek word for "large melon."
   • The Connecticut field variety is the traditional American pumpkin.
   • Pumpkins are 90 percent water.
   • Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
   • In colonial times, Native Americans roasted long strips of pumpkin in an open fire.
   • Colonists sliced off pumpkin tips; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.
   • Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
   • Native Americans called pumpkins "isqoutm squash."
   • Native Americans used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine.

    

   Pumpkin Patches :

  

White County

• Amazing Acres of Fun - I'm not sure what they have - they haven't returned the call yet
  2857 Old Kentucky Road, Sparta, TN 38583, Phone: (931-761-2971, 2 one half miles off Hwy. 111, Hampton Exit.  Call for additional directions.
• Pumpkin Patch & Funland
  4178 Cherry Creek Road, Sparta, TN 38583.

Fentress County

• Kevin Norris Farm - Pumpkins
  3950 South York Hwy., Jamestown, TN 38556, Phone: (931-879-4215, Pumpkins - Farm Market and Wholesale.  On Highway 127, 8 miles south of Jamestown at Mile Marker 11 on the west side of the highway.
• Allardt Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off - festival
  Allardt, TN. Phone: 931-879-9948. Email: mailto:cjeffers@www.york.k12.tn.us?subject=Inquiry from a visitor to www.PumpkinPatchesAndMore.org. Open: September 30 to October 01, 2005. In addition to the contest for the largest pumpkin, there are crafts, food vendors, pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, music, games, car show, antique tractor show, motorcycle show, and other events. Event summary: Free admission and free parking. Farmers and gardeners from several states show their prize pumpkins and other vegetables to compete for cash prizes and world record consideration at the weigh-off held annually on the first Saturday in October, this year on Oct. 1.

Overton County

• Scarecrows & Haybales- The Haunted Barn - pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, horse-drawn hay rides, wagon rides, pony rides, petting zoo
  1580 Rickman Monterey Hwy. , Rickman, TN 38580. Phone: 931-498-3277. Email us at: mailto:ponysrus@twlakes.net?subject=Inquiry from a visitor to www.PumpkinPatchesAndMore.org. Directions: From Cookeville take Hwy 111 toward Livingston, turn right onto 293 east Rickman Monterey Hwy and travel 4 1/2 miles and Scarecrows & Haybales- The Haunted Barn is on the right.Look for signs.
• Crops are usually available in October. Open: Scarecrows & Haybales-Monday-Saturday-By Appointment-9:00-6:00 The Haunted Barn- hours-Thursday-7:00pm-10:00pm Friday & Saturday-7:00-? Sunday & Monday 30&31-7:00-? Ponies "R" Us- Aall year long. Scarecrows & Haybales-Sept.15-Nov.5 The Haunted Barn-Oct.14-Oct31 The Christmas Barn-Dec.3-Dec.20 Payment: Cash, only. PONIES "R" US welcomes birthday parties, church socials, school groups, company picnics, family reunions and all events here at the farm all year long. Scarecrows & Haybales is a fall fun day at the farm for school groups and all visitors. Call for appointment. The Haunted Barn is for a fun scare on the farm! In December the barn turns into The Christmas Barn, call:931-498-3277

 

Cumberland County

• • Autumn Acres Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch - pumpkins, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, corn maze, haunted corn maze, straw or hay bale maze, child-sized haybale maze, prepicked produce, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, picnic area, tractor-pulled hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo
    1096 Baier Road, Crossville, TN 38571. Phone: 931-707-0103. Fax: 931-707-0103. Email us at: mailto:sbwoods@frontiernet.net?subject=Inquiry from a visitor to www.PumpkinPatchesAndMore.org. Directions: We are located off of TN I-40 in Cumberland Co. Exit 311 (Plateau Road) From there, you will follow the signs. Open: Monday thru Thursday by appt. only Friday & Saturday 10:00-10:00 Sunday 1:00-6:00 We open September 9th and runs through the first week in November.

 Knox County

• Oakes Farm - Pumpkins.
  8240 Corryton Road, Corryton, TN 37721. Phone: (865) 688-6200. Directions:  Take the Knoxville Center exit (Exit 8) off I-640. Go north on Washington Pike 10 miles. Turn left onto Corryton Road. Go 2.3 miles and the farm is on the right.

Morgan County

• Gilbert Young Farm - pumpkins
  2064 Twin Bridge Road, Deer Lodge, TN 37726. Phone: (423) 965-3416. Wholesale pumpkins.  Call for directions.
• Jackie Jones Farm - pumpkins
  289 Claude Howard Road, Deer Lodge, TN 37726. Phone: (423) 965-3695. Wholesale pumpkins.  Call for directions.



Links to more website that have more detailed safety information:

• The Official Halloween Safety Game - Since 1996, we have provided this fun way for families and students to learn Halloween Safety while trick-or-treating. If you are going to go door to door trick-or-treating, you should play.
• Children's Safety Zone
  A non-commercial site dedicated to children's safety issues.
• Halloween Safety Tips for Companion Animals
  Halloween can be very spooky for the animals we live with! Follow these simple steps to make sure your cats or dogs are safe and secure at Halloween! Brought to you by Tree House Animal Foundation - a not-for-profit humane organization in Chicago, Illinois.
• LAFD - Halloween Safety Tips
  Safety Tips from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
• McGruff Safe Kids
  Has Halloween safety products for sale.