Karen Garland

It’s Pumpkin Time!

Everything you need to know about pumpkins this fall.

BY KAREN GARLAND

This time of year conjures up images of cooler weather, autumn leaves and anything pumpkin flavored. Pumpkins are colorful, festive and nutritious, and they go hand in hand with fall traditions. But, did you know that these Americannative plants have been cultivated for thousands of years, and carving them is a tradition that originated hundreds of years ago with the arrival of Irish immigrants?

Despite this enduring history, picking the perfect pumpkin for cooking or carving can be intimidating. Fortunately, you can soothe your fears and make the best selection by knowing when to harvest, how to care for the fruit when removing it and how to store it.

For the gardeners who plant seeds in the spring, now is the time to harvest your bounty, which usually takes 75-115 days from sowing to picking, depending on the variety. The ripened fruit can be orange, white, gray or blue-gray. When thumped with a finger, it should sound hollow, and the rind should be shiny and very difficult to scratch. Additionally, the stem should be hard, requiring sharp pruners or a knife when cutting it from the vine. Leaving 3-4 inches of the stem will slow its decay. Lastly, handle with care to prevent bruising. Do not lift or carry it by the stalk, since the pumpkin can detach and break; stemless pumpkins don’t store well.

Once harvested, allow the pumpkins to cure in the sun for seven-10 days. This will toughen their skin, and significantly improve flavor. However, they may need to be moved to a shed or garage on cold nights, or covered with a blanket. Once cured, clean them with a weak solution of one-part bleach to 10-parts water; this will kill any pathogens and remove soil. Dry them thoroughly before storing in a cool, dry location. Do not allow the stored fruit to touch; this allows air circulation and slows rot. Cured pumpkins may keep for two to three months.

When pumpkins have been harvested, cured and stored, it’s time to get creative. For cooking and baking, you’ll want to use a pumpkin that has a smooth, dense grain and a mild, sweet flavor; they’re often labeled as sugar pumpkins or pie pumpkins. They can be cooked, frozen, canned or used in a recipe. If saving the seeds for next year’s garden, wash the pumpkin pulp off the seeds, and let them dry thoroughly before storing them in a tightly sealed jar.

If you don’t have a garden, or didn’t include pumpkins in your garden this year, there are many shapes and sizes to choose from at the farm stand, pumpkin patch or supermarket. To pick the best pumpkin for carving, look for one with consistent color throughout. And, just like when harvesting a ripe pumpkin, look for the hollow sound when thumped. Choose a firm pumpkin that has no scratches, bruises or dark spots, which may cause it to decay quicker. Sit it down to make sure it’s flat, so it won’t roll around. Lastly, check that the stem is green, firm and secure.

The final product depends on the weather, growing season and a host of other factors. Whatever is chosen, all that really matters is making this colorful season memorable.

Karen Garland is a discovery science teacher at Clark Creek Elementary. She enjoys beekeeping, chicken farming and volunteering as a Georgia Master Gardener.

HELLO

GHOST TOURS SCHOOL FESTIVALS

Canton Historic Haunts

Take a trip back in time through downtown Canton, and learn about its history and haunts on a two-hour guided walking tour that begins and ends at the gazebo. The family-friendly tours can be booked through the fall, and are sure to captivate and surprise you. Visit https://cantonhaunts.com for more information.

Acworth Ghost Tours

Stroll down sidewalks in historic Acworth while listening to your tour guides tell stories based on documented sightings, firsthand experiences, research and history. Tours are every Friday and Saturday evening (weather permitting) in the month of October. Visit www.jimmagus.com or call 770-653-0756 for more information.

Ghosts of Marietta

Join the residents that chose to never leave on a guided tour of a past that is deep in tradition, history and quality of life. Tour guides will excite you with tales of departed spirits and mysterious residents as you walk through Marietta’s historic streets, and, if you’re lucky, you will experience them, as well. Visit www.mariettaghosts.com to book a tour, Fridays through Sundays year-round.

Roswell Ghost Tour

Follow experienced paranormal investigators on a 2.5-hour walking tour, operating year-round. Learn about paranormal phenomena experienced by residents, businesses and tour-goers on a hunt for haunts. View the tour schedule at http://roswellghosttour.com.

Dahlonega Walking Tours

Dive into the rich and fascinating history of Dahlonega with the Historic Ghost Tour, a 1.5-mile guided tour with approximately 15 stops. Or, for ages 21 and older, Grapes and Ghosts Wine Tour takes guests on a .6-mile guided tour. Sample local wines while listening to stories about the town’s history, as well as haunted tales from each shop. Check the calendar for tour dates. www.dahlonegawalkingtours.com/facilities. All events are outdoors. Dates and times are subject to change. Oct. 9

Carmel Elementary, 1-4 p.m. 2275 Bascomb Carmel Road, Woodstock. 770-704-1184.

Oct. 15

Avery Elementary, 6-8 p.m. 6391 E. Cherokee Drive, Canton. 770-704-1343.

Ball Ground Elementary STEM Academy,

6-8 p.m. 321 Valley St., Ball Ground. 770-721-5900.

R.M. Moore Elementary STEM Academy,

6-8 p.m. 1375 Puckett Road, Waleska. 770-704-1212. Free Home Elementary, 6-9 p.m. 12525 Cumming Highway, Canton. 770-721-5960.

Oak Grove Elementary STEAM Academy

Movie Night, 6 p.m. 6118 Woodstock Road No. 1727, Acworth. 770-721-8550.

Oct. 16

Liberty Elementary, 6-8 p.m. 10500 Bells Ferry Road, Canton. 770-704-1300.

Oct. 22

Clark Creek Elementary STEM Academy

Movie Night, 6 p.m. 3219 Hunt Road, Acworth. 770-721-5800.

Oct. 23

Clayton Elementary, 4-6 p.m. 221 Upper Burris Road, Canton. 770-721-5860

Oct. 29

Holly Springs Elementary STEM Academy,

6-8 p.m. 1965 Hickory Road, Canton. 770-704-1420. Knox Elementary STEM Academy, 6-8 p.m. 151 Riverbend Way No. 1818, Canton. 770-704-1265.

Oct. 23

The Great Pumpkin Fest, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Cherokee Veterans Park, will be fun for all ages, with bounce houses and games, craft vendors, food trucks, face painting, a hayride, helicopter rides and more. Bring your own pumpkin to launch from a trebuchet, and don’t forget to wear your costume and trick or treat with the vendors. Contact bbjohnson@ cherokeega.com for more details. Cherokee Presbyterian Church’s festival is 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with a hayride, bounce house, free food, and highland games for the kids. 1498 Johnson Brady Rd.

Oct. 27

Hiking Scavenger Hunt: Halloween is at Lewis Park in Woodstock, 6:30 p.m. Wear your costumes, and have flashlights ready. Cost is $10 per participant. All ages are welcome; minors must be accompanied by an adult. Registration ends 5 p.m. Oct. 25. Email cafussell@cherokeega.com.

Oct. 29

Canton Fifth Friday, a Halloween costume block party featuring No Sweat, is 6-9 p.m. in downtown Canton. Shops and restaurants will be open late, and there will be food and beverage vendors along Main Street. www.cantonga.gov. HollowSteam and Fall Festival is set for 4-10 p.m. at the Rock Barn in Canton. There will be pumpkin carving, a costume contest, a haunted maze and more. Visit www.wayneevents.com/ event-details/hollowsteam-fall-festival for tickets.

Oct. 30

Halloween Trail of Tricks and Treats will be 4-9 p.m. at Rubes Creek Trail, across from Fire Station 14 in Woodstock. There will be activities for all ages. Bring flashlights and collect treats from vendors along the 1.4-mile trail. If you’re interested in having a jack-o’-lantern displayed along the trail, view the pumpkin carving contest flyer at https://bit. ly/3DhIRcR. BEATS Gallop and Go 5K begins at 8 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Woodstock. Family-friendly costumes are welcome. Participants can register at active.com. Later, families can visit the barn at Mariposa Farms in Canton (75 Red Gate Trail) for the Fall Family Festival, 2-5 p.m. Kids will be able to trick-or-treat with costumed horses and enjoy games, a bounce house, pumpkin painting and face painting. Event sponsors, companies or families can contact bethany@ beats-inc.org for more information.

Oct. 31

Fall FAM Fest will be at Grow Church Woodstock Campus, 2510 E. Cherokee Drive, 11:15 a.m.-3 p.m. Join the 11:15 a.m. worship service, followed by lunch and the festival. Activities include a costume contest, petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables, bingo and ax throwing. https://bit.ly/3sN4RHQ.

OUTSIDE CHEROKEE

Through Nov. 1

Pumpkin Fest includes unlimited access to the corn maze, hay ride, petting zoo, pig races and more at Pettit Creek Farms in Cartersville. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for ages 2-12. https://pettitcreekfarms.com/pumpkin-fest-2. Oct. 9

Fun Family Fall Festival at Sweet Dreams Farm in Ball Ground features hands-on horse experiences and fall activities, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. To get free tickets visit www.sweet-dreams-farm.org. Oct. 9-10

Marietta Cobb Museum of Art presents Chalktoberfest 2021, a chalk and beer festival on Marietta Square. Free and open to the public, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. https://www.chalktoberfest.com. Oct. 9-10, 16-17

The Georgia Apple Festival is back for its 50th year at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds, beginning at 9 a.m. each day. Admission is $5; children 10 and under are free. Visitors can expect more than 300 vendors with handmade items, a parade and an antique car show. www.georgiaapplefestival.org. Oct. 16-17

The Gold Rush Days Festival is held annually in Dahlonega to celebrate the 1828 discovery of gold in the city. More than 200 art and craft exhibitors and vendors will gather around the square and historic district for this two-day festival. https://goldrushdaysfestival.com/gold-rush-days. Weekends in October

Apple Pickin’ Jubilee, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., is at Hillcrest Orchards in Ellijay. Pick your own apples, milk a cow (mask required), watch swimming pig races and listen to live bands. Admission is $15. www.hillcrest orchards.net.

A Community United

PHOTOS BY SHANNA CAROL PHOTOGRAPHY

Multicultural Festival a Celebration

On Sept. 4, Etowah River Park was filled with members of Canton’s Hispanic community and other residents, Canton police and city officials who gathered for the city’s first multicultural festival. The inaugural event was created to encourage unity and celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds that coexist in the city, overcoming stereotypes and discouraging racism. Representatives of the Canton Police Department were inspired to plan the event, partnering with Pastor Eduardo Brando of the United Pentecostal Church, after several mission projects were held last year.

“We held a hurricane relief drive for those in need in Honduras and Nicaragua, as well as a food drive to support MUST Ministries. During the collecting and delivering process, we witnessed different cultures and races working together to help others,” Canton Police Officer Pacer Cordry said. “We made friends and built relationships with diverse groups of people from our community, and we knew we had to build on it.”

The free event featured music, cultural dress, games, entertainment from different cultures and a soccer tournament. Food stations featured dishes from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, the United States, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Brando said participation in the event is part of his church’s commitment to faith and

community, and its vision to be connected with others.

“We live in a very multi-diverseculture city. Sometimes, it’s a challenge to the community to be together, so our ministry and the Canton Police Department have been working with the idea of having programs to involve our community,” Brando said. “For our ministry and all communities, as a symbol of unity, we believe we can have better results when we work together.”

The event was designed to reach more than just the Hispanic or Latino communities.

“Canton has more than 8,000 Hispanic people, but we also have an Asian and African American community, so we were trying to reach all communities with this event,” Brando said. “Our goal was for the Canton community to be connected through faith, government, corporations and safety, because all of us are a part of this beautiful city.”

Multicultural Festival: A Celebration