Pumpkins are native to North America, and seeds from pumpkins have been found dating back from between 5500-7000 BC! Native Americans called them "isqoutm squash", and pumpkins served many purposes in their lives. Pumpkins were an important staple in the diet of native peoples. Seeds of the pumpkin were used medicinally (2017 research into the benefits of pumpkin oil from the National Institute of Health). Strips of pumpkin were also flattened, dried, and made into mats!
In the mid-1960s, a settlement called Pumpkinville grew around what is now the cross-streets of 28th and Van Burenin Phoenix. Apparently, there were quite a few wild pumpkins growing in that area. A few years later, when folks were getting together to decide what to name a new settlement four miles east of Pumpkinville, they decided to name it Phoenix. Obviously, only one of the names survived.
Despite the name change, pumpkins remain important to Arizona, especially during the month of October! This year, an Arizona family grew a 2,554 pound pumpkin beating the national record at this year's annual Pumpkin Weigh-off! Over 100 family farms in Arizona produce pumpkins, according to the most recent agriculture census. Our favorite local pumpkin patch is MacDonald's Ranch, where they sell a wide variety of locally grown pumpkins. The price of entry at MacDonald's Ranch includes a petting zoo, lawn games, and photo areas and a hay bale maze among other attractions.
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