Pumpkins

Throw a pumpkin on a concrete path it usually breaks open and is the easy to cut up. Cook pumpkin whole in micro 10mins each side for medium ones. - Jan King, Whangarei.
Pumpkins freeze well. Cut into meal sized pieces, clean the pulp from the centres and freeze in plastic bags. Do not thaw before using. Straight into the water or roasting dish for cooking. Alternatively, pulp the pumpkins – freeze in ice cream containers, and use for soup or jam as the time permits – G.B.

Growing pumkin

Did you know the world's largest pumpkin (grown in 2010 and entered in the Ginness Book of Records) was grown in Wisconsin, USA. The winner said his secret is a precise mixture of sunshine, rain, cow manure, fish emulsion and seaweed.
New Zealand's largest pumpkin is 540kg and was grown by a man in Taupo. See NZ Herlad article >>>. That smashed the previous record of 497kg held by John McKay who said 5 tonnes of horse poo and seaweed was the secret behind his giant success.
Interested in growing giant pumpkins? Here's an excellent site www.giantpumpkins.co.nz
To visit the Mapua Giant Pumpkin Competition website click here >>>
Well the secret formulas behind the largest pumpkin storoes says it all - lots of horse poo, fish fertiliser and seaweed.
Send in your pumpkin growing tips here. Click >>>

Pumpkin recipes