This browser does not support the Video element.
Why recycling your pumpkins is important
The latest trend in getting rid of your pumpkin is taking place in many cities including Burnsville today. Get ready to roll, crush, and compost at Burnsville's annual Pumpkin Smash event happening Saturday, Nov. 1 at Neill Park.
MINNEAPOLIS - After Halloween, the majority of the 1 billion purchased pumpkins in the U.S. wind up in landfills. However, there are much better ways to dispose of your rotting jack-o'-lanterns after spooky season has come to pass.
Pumpkins to feed livestock
What you can do:
Pumpkins can be a great source of animal feed. Many farms gladly accept pumpkins that haven't been painted for their livestock. Pumpkins can be a great source of vitamins E and A, protein, and fiber for animals, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
You can contact local farms to see if they are accepting pumpkin donations, either for animal feed or composting. Some places in the region that have announced that they are accepting pumpkin donations include:
- Clover Field Farms in Isanti, Minnesota
- Triple A Farms of Illinois in McHenry, Illinois
- Mitten Misfits Farm Sanctuary in Grand Ledge, Michigan
- Golden Acres Farm LLC in Mount Calvary, Wisconsin
But many farms and farm animal sanctuaries are receptive to pumpkin donations. Just make sure that you contact them before showing up with pumpkins to ensure that the location is receptive to these donations.
Compost your pumpkins
Another option:
If you can't bring your pumpkins somewhere to be fed to livestock, another good option to keep them from landfills is to compost your pumpkins. They can be placed in backyard composting bins, curbside organics, or yard waste bins, or taken to composting sites that manage these materials.
When you're ready to compost your pumpkin, make sure that you remove any glue, stickers, lights, candles, glitter, paint, or wax.
Jack-o'-lanterns losing their battle against time on the front steps of a home on Plymouth Street. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) ((Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
If you are able, it's also helpful to break down your pumpkins into more manageable pieces.
Composting, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, is the controlled, aerobic (oxygen-requiring) process where microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, break down organic waste into a dark, nutrient-rich soil amendment called compost.
You can also bury your pumpkins in your yard to enrich your soil and keep pests away from your home.
Smashing pumpkins
A fun option:
Aside from the Chicago rock band, many towns and cities have events where you can smash your pumpkins so they can be reused or composted.
- Illinois is having pumpkin smashing events throughout the state on Nov. 7. You can find one near you here.
- There is a pumpkin smashing event in Lincoln Park, Michigan, also on Nov. 7 from 12 to 4 p.m.
- Edina, Minnesota, is also having an event to smash pumpkins on Nov. 4, where participants are encouraged to come in their Halloween costumes.
- Milwaukee's pumpkin-smashing event is also taking place on Nov. 4 in front of Merrill Hall. You can register here.
Jack-o'-lantern history
The backstory:
The history of the jack-o'-lantern dates back to Irish legend and the tale of "Stingy Jack." There were several iterations of this legend, but the overall theme was that he was mean, stingy, grumpy — but also mischievous.
Stingy Jack would play tricks on neighbors, family and friends before turning his attention to the devil, according to legend. This ultimately led to his demise and the devil came for his soul, but Jack was able to trick the devil into giving him more time on Earth.
When Jack was finally about to die, the devil wasn't even interested in his soul and God was disinterested as well. This led Jack to haunt the Earth, caught between Heaven and Hell. However, Jack was granted one consolation from the devil. He was given a glowing ember from the fires of hell, which Jack put into a hollowed turnip that he used as a lantern. He used this lantern to wander Earth for all of time.
Stingy Jack eventually became known as "Jack of the Lantern," which became shortened to jack-o'-lantern, which we know today.
In Ireland, people began carving out their own jack-o'-lanterns as early as the 1600s, however, like in the legend, they originally used turnips. They appeared much more macabre than our pumpkin decorations of today.
When Irish immigrants came to the Americas en masse in the 1840s, they brought many of their traditions with them, including the jack-o'-lantern. It was there that many Irish immigrants found that the plentiful pumpkin crop was much easier to carve out than turnips, according to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
The Source: Information from this article comes from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, The Environmental Protection Agency, event postings across communities, previous FOX 9 reporting, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. This story was written in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.