Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Here are ten facts about pumpkins.

1.  Early British colonists used to slice off the tops of pumpkins, remove the seeds, fill them with milk, spices and honey, and bake them on hot ashes -- the original pumpkin pie.

2.  The American pumpkin production in 2008 yielded $141 million.

3.  Illinois pumpkin production in 2008 sat at 496 million pounds.

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4.  The top pumpkin producing states are:  Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.

5.  While 90% water, pumpkins are high in potassium and Vitamin A.

6.  Pumpkins are used in soups, pies and bread.

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7.  Pumpkins can be as small as 1 pound and as large as 1,000 pounds.  The largest pumpkin on record weighed 1,140 pounds.

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8.  Pumpkin comes from "pepon" which is the Greek word for large melon.

9.  The largest pumpkin pie ever made weighed 350 pounds and measured 5 feet in diameter.

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10.  Pumpkin was once used to remove freckles and cure snake bites.

Source:  urbanext.illinois.edu.