where can i donate pumpkins

If you haven’t sprayed your carved pumpkins with insect killers or other harmful chemicals, you can donate them to your local zoo or animal shelter. This is another safe and eco-friendly method to dispose of unwanted pumpkins. The shelter or zoo can use the pumpkins as fodder for animals by mixing them with other vegetables and meat.

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How did Pumpkins for Pigs come to be?

What are pumpkins for pigs?

What can I do with unused pumpkins?

How to Reuse Carved PumpkinsRoast Pumpkin Seeds. To roast pumpkin seeds, separate them from the stringy guts and rinse well. ... Make Pumpkin Stock. ... Feed the Critters. ... Add it to Compost. ... Whip Up a Batch of Pumpkin Puree. ... Bake Pumpkin Bread. ... Make Pumpkin Soup. ... Eat Your Casserole Dish.More items...•

What do farmers do with old pumpkins?

"Larger pumpkin growers," said Mynatt, "usually return any unsold pumpkins back to the field and plow them in to add extra nutrients to the soil. People on farms that have livestock often feed them to cattle, sheep, goats, chickens and poultry.

What to do with old pumpkins for animals?

Wildlife can also feed on the decomposing pumpkin." You could also dig a hole and bury them, letting them compost naturally in the ground. However, watch for sowing any seeds, or you may have pumpkin plants next year. Patton said you could also add them to a compost pile.

What do you do with pumpkins after Halloween for animals?

You can recycle your pumpkin and turn it into a “snack-o-lantern” or a pumpkin feeder! These are easy to make and the squirrels and birds will love them. Just make sure to only use firm, fresh pumpkins. If they are getting soft and squishy or moldy, composting them is a better idea.

What do you do with whole pumpkins after Halloween?

Eat Them!Make pumpkin pie. The "meat" inside a pumpkin, once the seeds and stringy interior have been scooped out, can be made into fresh pumpkin puree and used in a pie. ... Make pumpkin soup. ... Make a pumpkin spice latte with actual pumpkin. ... Roast pumpkin seeds. ... Make vegetable stock. ... Make pumpkin bread.

Where do all the pumpkins go after Halloween?

But did you know that pumpkins can still be useful after Halloween? According to Waste Dive 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkin end up in landfill every year. Instead of throwing them out, you can use them to feed local wildlife, on your compost, or even play games for an eco-friendly alternative.

Is it OK to put pumpkins in the woods?

Is Pumpkin Good for Wildlife? Yes, both the pumpkin flesh and seeds are enjoyed by a number of animals. It's good for you, so you can bet all kinds of critters will enjoy it. Just be sure not to feed animals old pumpkins that have been painted, as the paint might be toxic.

Can I leave pumpkin out for wildlife?

The good news is that pumpkins – provided they aren't painted or coated – are safe, nutritious and delicious for wildlife. And wild animals love pumpkins. Here I'll take a look at ways animals enjoy pumpkins, from squirrels eating them to sand cats hiding in them, from your backyard to the zoo.

Do any animals eat pumpkins?

The smell of your plump pumpkins is attractive to an abundance of animals. Squirrels, deer, birds, rabbits, groundhogs, mice, raccoons, porcupines and even chickens love eating pumpkins. The best way to stop these animals is to build a wired garden fence around your pumpkins and enclose them.

What animals eat pumpkins at night?

Squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and even deer have been known to chomp down on these fall fruits! Nothing is worse than carving your perfect pumpkin, only to find it's become a midnight snack for your natural neighbors.

Do squirrels eat pumpkins?

Pumpkins are not a squirrel's favorite food. They eat them because instinct tells them they need to fatten up for the winter. If you give them tastier fare—say, peanuts, sunflower seeds, stale bread, crackers—they'll have their fill without spilling pumpkin guts all over the yard.

Will birds eat pumpkin?

After you've spooked the neighbours with your ghoulish gourd, you can hang up half the carved pumpkin as a temporary bird feeder, putting seeds and fat inside it. Birds will eat the pumpkin, too, so you can also just cut it up and put it out on your bird table.

What happens to all the unsold pumpkins?

In those cases, the excess pumpkins are typically donated to local zoos, given to a farm's animals such as hungry pigs and eager cattle, or “disced” by farmers and used as natural fertilizer for the land.

Why do farmers leave pumpkins in the field?

Realizing that there was probably a more practical reason I figured I should do some research to find out why a farm might leave what appears to be thousands of pumpkins out in a field to rot. Turns out there is a very simple reason, its because pumpkins make great fertilizers.

Should you put pumpkins out for wildlife?

In regards to taking pumpkins to the forest or other spaces in nature for wild animals to eat, the spokesperson said: “Please do not take leftover pumpkins to nature reserves or other wild places. “Wildlife that may benefit from pumpkin leftovers are garden birds, who may enjoy the seeds.

What animals eat pumpkins at night?

Squirrels, chipmunks, birds, and even deer have been known to chomp down on these fall fruits! Nothing is worse than carving your perfect pumpkin, only to find it's become a midnight snack for your natural neighbors.

Pumpkins for Pigs - MDBizListings.com

Our mission is to match pigs (and other pumpkin-eating animals) with un-carved, non-inked/non-painted pumpkins to prevent them from being thrown in the landfill. They are excellent feed and a wonderful treat to the animals on the farms and sanctuaries. They also make great compost. Thanksgiving comes up and we start moving to the next holiday but often our pumpkins are in perfectly fine shape ...

What are the animals that are raised in the Kunekune homestead?

We are a micro homestead, raising kunekune pigs, LaMancha goats, ducks, and chickens.

What are some good things to bring to a goat's farm?

Accepted: Pumpkins, Christmas trees, leafy greenery (for the goats!)

What can cows eat?

Accepted: Pumpkins, Gourds, Acorns, and bread & anything the cows will eat!

Where is Sunshower Farms?

Sunshower Farms is a 20 acre off-grid sustainable coffee and vegetable farm on the slopes of Hualalai in Kona, Hawaii.

Do we have heifers and chickens?

We have heifers and chickens. We add reusable food stuffs to our animals diet whenever it is available.

How to dispose of pumpkins?

Another one of the safest and eco-friendly options of disposing of pumpkins is by burying them.

How to dispose of pumpkins in apartments?

Disposing of pumpkins by putting them in compost bins is one of the safest and most eco-friendly solutions for those living in apartments.

What to do with carved pumpkin bits?

Making a puree out of carved pumpkin bits is the most useful way of disposing of them.

What happens if you dump pumpkins in the bin?

If you have dumped the pumpkins in the outside bin, pests can be easily directed towards your home or your neighbor’s.

What is a pumpkin smashing event?

The pumpkin smashing event is a fun way to dispose of pumpkins.

What to do if you have difficulty fitting pumpkins in the hole?

If you have difficulty fitting the pumpkins in the hole, breaking them and stacking their pieces might save you from digging an even bigger hole in the ground.

How many pounds of pumpkins are wasted in the US?

Over a billion pounds of pumpkins are wasted each year in the US alone, the majority of which is contributed by the Halloween trash.

What to do with rotten pumpkins?

Whether the pumpkins you’ve put on your stoop are still in decent condition or completely rotten by the end of Halloween season, they are the perfect addition to any compost pile — just make sure to remove any decorations first, such as candles or ribbons. According to Earth911, you’ll also want to make sure no paint or plastic-based glitter goes in your compost pile — so simply chop or scrape off any non-organic sections and put those in the trash. And if you’ve yet to decorate your pumpkin this year, consider leaving the glitter and paint out of the equation so that you can compost or donate the entire thing at the end of the season!

What is pumpkin for pigs?

Additionally, Pumpkins for Pigs is a resource of animal sanctuaries and farms that accept donated pumpkins, which are then fed to pigs.

When to drop off old pumpkins?

Many communities install temporary compost bins for residents to drop off their old pumpkins at the end of Halloween season — and they can be very effective at curbing landfill waste this time of year. For example, the city of Thunder Bay, Calif. has diverted nearly 400 tonnes of pumpkins from landfills and to the city’s composting facility since starting the program in 1995.

Can you throw pumpkin seeds in the compost?

Interestingly, Earth911 claims that pumpkin seeds thrown in a compost pile can germinate and start growing new pumpkins, and the website recommends leaving them out of the compost for that reason. If you’d rather not throw the seeds in the trash, consider either roasting and eating the seeds, grinding them up in a food processor before scattering them in your compost pile, or planting them in your garden and trying to grow pumpkins of your own for next year.

Can you chop a pumpkin before composting?

If you want your pumpkin to break down quicker in your compost pile, or if your compost bin is small, you can roughly chop your pumpkin into pieces before composting it, especially the parts containing the pumpkin’s thick skin, according to the blog Can I Compost This?

Can you use pumpkin seeds for jack o lanterns?

If you’re carving any jack-o'-lanterns this year , make sure to save every bit of the pumpkin, from the insides to the skin to the seeds. The inside of the pumpkin can be chopped up and roasted as a fall veggie — you can enjoy that as is, or blend it into pumpkin soup or a pumpkin puree that can then be used to make delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin bread, or even pumpkin oatmeal. And the pumpkin seeds can be rinsed and roasted for a salty snack.

Do zoos accept pumpkins?

In addition to municipalities, some zoos accept donations of old pumpkins, which zookeepers give to animals to play with and eat.

What is the compound in pumpkin seeds?

A compound in pumpkin seeds, cucurbitacin, is a dewormer , but different squash have varying levels and the dose and effectiveness is unknown. It also varies depending on the animal and the worm.

How to give gourds a second life?

Instead, give gourds a second life by donating them to a zoo or wildlife rehab center or composting them, either personally or through a municipal drop-off program.

What is the source of methane in Illinois?

In Cook County, 37% of landfill material is food waste, a major source of the greenhouse gas methane. To divert pumpkins from landfills, Illinois Extension in Cook County is hosting several pumpkin smash community events on November 6 in the Chicago area. Residents are encouraged to “don’t trash it, smash it!” by catapulting their pumpkins into a dumpster which is then transported to a composting facility.

What is Illinois Extension?

ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.

Can hogs eat pumpkins?

When it comes to livestock, cattle, hogs, horses, and poultry can all eat pumpkin smashed open or cut into chunks. Since pumpkins are not a routine part of their diet, this can cause digestive upset.

Is pumpkin seed a dewormer?

One social media post suggests that pumpkin seed acts as a natural dewormer, but Veterinarian Samantha J. Sander who is a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Illinois says the research on this is mixed.

Can you donate pumpkins to a zoo?

Zoos and wildlife rehab centers may also accept donated pumpkins as food or enrichment.

How to use leftover pumpkins for Halloween?

Even when Halloween's over, you can keep the festivities going strong with fun activities using your leftover pumpkin. Try pumpkin bowling by filling plastic bottles with water and setting them up in a 10-pin triangle. Take turns rolling your pumpkin bowling-ball-style to see who can knock down the most bottles. Or, look for a pumpkin chucking catapult event in your area for a chance to send your pumpkin flying through the air.

How to compost pumpkins?

Just remember to remove the seeds first so your gourds don't root in the pile. If you'd like, you can save them to try your hand at growing your own pumpkins next year. Just rinse the pulp away from the seeds and allow the seeds to dry. Store them in an envelope in a cool, dry place until you're ready to plant.

What happens to pumpkins on Halloween?

Every year, thousands of pumpkins get tossed in the trash; according to the U.S. Department of Energy, about 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins in the United States end up in landfills.

How to make a bird feeder out of a pumpkin?

Either leave it out as is or hang it from a tree with several lengths of thick twine or rope wrapped under the base.

What animals eat pumpkins?

Once you're done displaying your pumpkins, cut them up into fourths and place pieces around your yard. Deer, rabbits, and other creatures will make short work of them.

Can you eat pumpkin seeds?

Of course, you can always bring any clean, uncarved pumpkins to the kitchen to eat yourself! Toasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy snack, and you can use fresh pumpkin puree in any recipe that calls for the canned version. You'll need to do a little conversion: Keep in mind that one 2-1/2 pound pumpkin is equivalent to about 15 ounces canned pumpkin—the standard grocery store can. Some varieties like Jarrahdale, Hubbard, and Pie pumpkins are grown specifically for eating, so they have naturally sweet, smooth flesh. But you can also doctor up other pumpkin varieties to use in sweet or savory pumpkin recipes (we'd recommend only eating pumpkins that you've kept inside your house though, where they've been safe from insects and other critters).

Can you recycle pumpkins?

But there are plenty of ways to recycle your Halloween pumpkins this year. Instead of piling them up for trash day, try our eco-friendly ideas for repurposing, reusing, or recycling your gourds post-October. Even those jack-o'-lanterns that may be looking a little shriveled and sunken still can be useful! Here are our editor-approved ways to recycle your Halloween pumpkins.

How did Pumpkins for Pigs come to be?

Seems so simple. Well, it was. I was feeling increasingly guilty I didn’t have a better way to dispose of my decorative pumpkins come Thanksgiving. So, I kept them until Winter officially started – yeah, we looked weird having pumpkins with a winter holiday wreath on the door but I was biding my time hoping I’d come up with something. There had to be a better option. One year, while visiting my farmer for eggs, I asked if he had any ideas. He invited me to drop them off on my next visit as their pigs would love them. It would be a real treat for them. An idea was born. I was – and still am – positively giddy about the prospect. In reaching out to local farmers, I found they were trying to find ways but simply didn’t have the time to put the word out. We are starting out small – just 4 places that will accept them – with the hopes it will grow. With the gracious help from a life-long friend who makes websites for a living, we now have PumpkinsForPigs.org.

What are pumpkins for pigs?

Welcome to Pumpkins for Pigs! Our mission is to match pigs (and other pumpkin-eating animals) with un-carved, non-inked/non-painted pumpkins to prevent them from being thrown in the landfill. They are excellent feed and a wonderful treat to the animals on the farms and sanctuaries. They also make great compost.