Everything Everywhere Daily Pumpkins
12 snips
Oct 31, 2025 Explore the fascinating world of pumpkins, a fruit masquerading as a vegetable, with a history stretching back thousands of years. Discover their journey from ancient North American farms to global culinary staples, and how they became symbols of harvest during Thanksgiving. Learn about the intriguing pumpkin spice phenomenon and its dizzying rise since 2003. Uncover pumpkin's significance in cultures around the globe, including its role in Haitian freedom and Halloween traditions. Plus, meet the record-breaking giant pumpkin!
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Pumpkins Are Ancient Domesticated Fruits
- Pumpkins are a winter squash in the gourd family and technically a fruit, even a type of berry called a pepo.
- They were domesticated in North America between 7,000 and 5,500 BC and served as a staple crop for Native Americans.
Pumpkins In Three Sisters Agriculture
- Pumpkins were part of the Three Sisters companion planting with maize and beans to mutually nourish and protect crops.
- This intercropping made pumpkins a primary and reliable food source in ancient American civilizations.
How Native Americans Used Pumpkins
- Native Americans boiled, roasted, and ground pumpkins and used hollowed shells as containers.
- For many tribes, pumpkins were a year-round staple rather than a seasonal food.