The Lord of the Gourd’s Giant Pumpkin Seeds

October 27, 2010 By

Many friends have asked what we do with our pumpkin seeds and just how big they get?

Voila. This is Hadley with the haul from one of our two pumpkins. We don’t eat the seeds (though you should totally check out this recipe for Qdoba’s Honey Chipotle Pumpkin Seeds). Instead, growers trade them like baseball cards and Jamie has been mailing his seeds all over the world.

Apparently Americans aren’t the only crazy ones.

A couple of years ago, my favorite cookie sheet went missing. Several months after the disappearance, I went into the storage room and noticed a glimmer of medal on top of a shelf. Upon further investigation, I realized Jamie had swiped my cookie sheet. The reason?

It was housing that year’s haul of pumpkin seeds.

Such is my life.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: pumpkins

Rock Creek Farms–Through the Years

October 19, 2010 By

You’d think with all the effort that goes into the pumpkin-growing season we’d have some reasonably-sized pumpkins to carve like most normal people.

We don’t.

And so we go to Rock Creek Farms in Broomfield, CO. This has been an annual fall tradition since Hadley was a baby. Things have changed just a wee bit over the years….

2006

2007

2008

2009
And for 2010, we invited several friends for a fun-filled day of bouncy castles, petting farm, straw maze and more.

Rock Creek Farms has also added wagon rides to their line-up but at $8 for adults and $5 for kids, we opted to save our money….

….to purchase a pumpkin bar, cookie and M&M caramel apple from their food stand.

Priorities, you know.

We also spent some time in the fields selecting the perfect pumpkins for carving. So impressive was the display of thousands of pumpkins that Bode, when he saw the sea of orange, proclaimed, “Oh. Ma. Gosh.”

Kid could totally be a valley girl.


We were thrilled with our selections until we walked into the door and the Lord of the Gourds freaked out. “PUMPKINS? YOU CALL THOSE PUMPKINS?”

He now has a new moniker: Pumpkin Snob.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, Humor, pumpkins

The Canned Pumpkin Shortage & Recipes to Thrill Any Pumpkin Lover

October 18, 2010 By

With Halloween upon us, my family is in the throes of Everything Pumpkin. While my husband Jamie may be obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin, I am consumed with eating it. My pumpkin craving began when I was six months pregnant with my firstborn and, six years later, has not abated.

But a nearly year-long shortage of canned pumpkin has put a dark cloud over the pumpkin lovers of the world. However, it was recently announced the shortage is over and USA Today reported:

“That means an end to the hoarding, rationing and even pumpkin profiteering that have been going on since heavy rain ruined last year’s harvest and caused a shortfall.”

In my defense, I only have about 20 cans of pumpkin stashed in my basement. And no, I’m not kidding.

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I watched Seinfeld for the first time in years. The episode “The Sponge” centered around how Elaine, in a fit of hysteria, bought up every contraceptive sponge she could find when she learned they were being discontinued. I chastised her wayward moral compass as she tried to determine which of her suitors was “sponge-worthy.”

Until the next day.

It was the height of the canned pumpkin shortage and I was throwing a pumpkin party. One of my requests was for guests to bring their favorite pumpkin treat. In a panic, my friend Kristen called and told me she had been to several area grocery stores and could not find canned pumpkin anywhere. But then came the clincher:

“Amber, do you have any canned pumpkin I can use?”

I have to admit I hesitated. And then even worse, the thought crossed my mind:

“Is she pumpkin-worthy?”

And yes, she was.

It may have had something to do with the pumpkin cobbler she brought to my party the next day.

=========================

Do you have any favorite pumpkin dishes? My favorites include:

Pumpkin won tons
Pumpkin fudge
Pumpkin gingerbread trifle
Pumpkin pie bars
Old-fashioned pumpkin pie
Pumpkin risotto,
Homemade pumpkin yogurt
Pumpkin fritters dessert
pumpkin gingerbread with caramel sauce
Pumpkin pie pancakes
Curried pumpkin soup

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, pumpkins

The (Pumpkin) Party’s Over

October 12, 2010 By

For most (normal) people, pumpkin season is just beginning. Last weekend marked the end of ours.

On Friday, a woman dropped something off at our house. “Wow, that’s a big pumpkin!” she exclaimed, referring to the kids’ 208-pounder at our doorstep.

I looked at her, puzzled. “You must have somehow missed my husband’s pumpkin?”

I walked her out to the driveway where I pointed out James’ beast. “That,” I said pointing to the kids’ pumpkin, “is not a pumpkin. THIS is a pumpkin.”

Crocodile Dundee would have been proud.

On Saturday, my kids entered their orange beast in our city’s giant pumpkin contest. Despite the fact Jamie’s pumpkins are now too large to enter, we continue to be supportive because that is where his obsession began three years ago.

Or maybe they should harbor part of the blame.

Jamie is a bit of a local celebrity. When we pulled up, a throng of local gardeners clamored around to see what their beloved Jamie had brought. Several others pulled me aside, raving how much he has done to help inspire and instruct other growers.

It was like hanging out with Elvis in Vegas.

The festival’s giant pumpkin weigh-off has come a long way. Once upon a time, Jamie’s 141.5-pound pumpkin won. This year the bar was raised. Throngs of people gathered to watch an elated Lori Fontyn win the adult division with a 360-pounder and my kids won the junior division.


The kids’ prize was a $50 gift certificate for a local garden center.

It’s tough to say who was the real winner because Jamie insisted we stop on the way home to buy $50 worth of gypsum and soil sulfur.

Because, rest assured, soil prep for the 2011 season has already begun.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, pumpkins

And now for a bit of tasteless humor brought to you from The Motherland

October 8, 2010 By

My wonderful friends send me pretty much every pumpkin-related joke, picture or recipe they can find.

But this one from my friend Stacey takes the cake.

Or rather, the pie.

The caption: How pumpkin pies are made.

Don’t kill the messenger.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, pumpkins

The party, the trip and the pumpkin (in that order)

October 4, 2010 By

The Party
October has kicked off in typical Canuck fashion: chaos. On Wednesday, I hosted a Mile High Mamas party at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to showcase their new Amazon exhibit.

The Trip
Thursday and Friday, I flew to California courtesy of Nintendo for a focus group with some of their other ambassadors. While there, we got to preview Wii Party, a board-game-esque with over 80 hilarious mini-games. It’s such a hoot that I’ve resolved to buy two extra Wii remotes so our entire family can play it. I’m sure Bode will be first in line.

Well, except it doesn’t involve his beloved Mario.
(The ladies in attendance: Amber from Nintendo, Gwen Bell, me, Janet, Marsha, Sizzle, Denise, Julie, Tracey Clark, Justine, Nintendo staff.)

The Pumpkin
I arrived home around midnight on Friday and Saturday was the weigh-off for pumpkin #2. As much fun as it was to hang out in the hot sun for four hours last weekend, I told Jamie to call us when his pumpkin was close to being weighed. He did just that 45 minute prior so I loaded up the troops and headed way up north.

I underestimated the amount of time it would take to get there and that Jamie would actually have gas in his car (he had borrowed my SUV to haul the pumpkin).

Here’s the thing about my dearly beloved: the man enjoys driving with only 1/4 of a tank of gas. It literally drives me nuts whenever I borrow his car because I have to waste time to get gas.

Only this time, there was no time.

Jamie called when we were an hour into our drive and close to nowhere.

“Where are you? My pumpkin is about to be weighed”
“Stall them. We’re not close and I have to stop for gas.”
“If you stop for gas, you’ll miss the whole thing.”

Then panic set in. I was driving unfamiliar roads and Jamie had to talk me through the process. I had already showed the children my below-empty gauge and told them to say a little prayer so we wouldn’t run out of gas.

If it worked for the loaves and fishes, it could work for multiplying the properties of petroleum.

Bode started freaking out, chanting “GAS STATION GAS STATION” over and over.

We arrived (barely running on gas fumes) just as Jamie’s pumpkin was being loaded up. We raced out of the car, all the while muttering about the nightmare it was to get there. Who on earth would live in this forsaken place?

Amy of Crunchy Domestic Goddess, that’s who.

She lives just down the road, saw the sign for the giant pumpkin weigh-off and figured I would probably be there.

Sad but very true.

In the end, Jamie’s second pumpkin weighed in at a respectable 868 pounds and his buddy Pete set a new Colorado state record: 1,306 lbs.


Both impressive but not nearly as exciting as the build-up to get there.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, Jamie, pumpkins

A Tale of Two Pumpkins

September 29, 2010 By

Saturday was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Jamie had high hopes for this season and at one point, his pumpkin, “Redemption Boy,” was on track to weigh 1,100 pounds.

Until its growth started tanking in September.

In the end, Jamie hoped to just break 1,000 pounds, which would have been very possible because it was measuring out to weigh around 955 pounds.

In giant-pumpkin growing, pumpkins can either go “light” or “heavy” in either direction. It is impossible to know which way it will skew until it finally hits the scales.

Jared’s Nursery hosts the weigh-off and has beefed up the event to also include a Fall Festival with goodies such as a haunted house, obstacle course, s’mores, food and face painting.


Jamie is part of the Rocky Mountain Giant Vegetable Growers Group that organizes the event. In addition to giant pumpkins, there were also pears, watermelon and squash so freakishly large you’d swear you had been plunked onto the set of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.



Anticipation was high when it was time for Jamie’s pumpkin to get weighed in.


Well, for some of us. In Bode’s defense, Super Mario passes the time when you’re stuck in the hot sun for four hours.

Like a nervous new papa, Jamie watched as they loaded up his pumpkin and placed it on the Biggest Loser-esque scale.

Only on this scale, you want big numbers.

Unfortunately for Jamie, he didn’t get them. His pumpkin went 16% light and only weighed in at 820 pounds.


This is still impressive and his personal best but he was visibly disappointed his pumpkin did not break 1,000 pounds. However, he still has another pumpkin to be weighed at yet another competition this weekend.

Such is my life during the fall.

The kids entered their pumpkin as well. Shockingly,their 208.5-pound pumpkin not only won but it set a new Colorado state record in the children’s division.

Bode was busy scoring five goals (!) at his soccer game so Hadley was their sole representative. However a few minutes prior to the awards ceremony, her upper left leg got stung by a bee rendering her incapable of walking. Or so she thought.

When her name was called, Hadley dramatically limped to the stage, further augmenting the cheers as I’m sure people thought “How amazing that little invalid girl grew that big pumpkin!” She even forced a smile. She is, after all, a crowd-pleaser.


And I may-or-may-not have threatened her to do so.


What prizes did the kids win for such an accomplishment?

A membership into the Rocky Mountain Giant Vegetable Growers Group and a bag of fertilizer. Oh, and a club T-shirt that should have read:

I won the state title and all I got was some cow dung and this crappy T-shirt.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, pumpkins

It’s a Denver Pumpkin Parrrrrrrrr-tay!

September 28, 2010 By

If you hate pumpkins, do not return to this blog until after October. Wait. Even after all the pumpkin parties and the weigh-offs, there is fall soil prep, winter seed obsession and it starts all over again with spring planting.

If you don’t like pumpkins, you simply will not like this blog.

Or cool chicks who spray-paint orange streaks in their hair for the festivities.

It has been a whirlwind week of pumpkins and more pumpkins that is best documented in pictures.

Friday was our 2nd Annual Big Pumpkin Party.


When my blogging bud JoAnn told someone she was going to a big pumpkin party, her friend commented it sounded like a huge crowd.

“No,” she replied. “I mean a BIG PUMPKIN party.”

And that it was.

But it was also big as in “a whole lotta people in attendance.” We estimate we had around 80-100 people stop by.

This year, I requested that guests bring their favorite pumpkin treat and lo did they deliver.

We had pumpkin gingerbread trifle, cakes, fudge, pies, crisp, ice cream, cookies and the crowd favorite: pumpkin egg rolls.

In addition to eating Everything Pumpkin, the itinerary at a Big Pumpkin Party consisted of cutting the pumpkins off the vine and hauling them. We started with Haddie and Bode’s pumpkin.



Next was the bigger challenge: Redemption Boy. And yes, Jamie names his pumpkins. This nomenclature was in reference to his pumpkin that got wiped out last year by the tornado.

He grows his giants on the property behind our house. Our neighbor has a forklift and that is exactly what was needed to haul this beast. First item of business: putting on the lifting straps.

Next, they hooked it up to the forklift. Special thanks to our friend Andy for saving Jamie’s life by driving.


(Jamie somehow thought he could operate it after a mere 5-minute lesson. Cough, cough)

Once it was successfully hooked up, Jamie checked the bottom of the pumpkin for any cracks that would disqualify it from competition. Believe it or not, people cheat by injecting water to increase the weight.


Once he gave it the thumbs-up, the crowd erupted into cheers. Actually, the highlight of the entire evening for me (besides all the pumpkin food) was seeing how enraptured everyone was by the process.


Except for Bode. My shy little guy was overwhelmed by all the people and kept begging me to go home and watch Wipeout. When the ceremony was completed, I let him do it with the promise that he would imagine the big balls as big pumpkins.


If you’ve never watched Wipeout, you will have no idea what that means.

Even the media made an appearance at the Big Pumpkin Party to interview Jamie.


I’ll be sure to include that link once it is published. He was also interviewed by the Mormon Times. I was responsible for pitching the story to both publications.

Just call me the Pumpkin’s Publicist.

Though as the event wound down, my neighbor Keith christened me, “The First Lady of the Pumpkin.”


Though no one will ever come close to being The Lord of the Gourds.

Stay tuned for the disappointments and triumphs of the big weigh-off.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Humor, Jamie, pumpkins

And I thought I was only PG-rated

September 27, 2010 By

My sister-in-law Jane emailed me to say she logged onto my blog this morning to find out the details on The Great Pumpkin’s final weight.

(As a side note, I will post this information just as soon as I have a minute. I’ve been kinda busy with pumpkin parties, weigh-offs and in-laws).

Anyhew, for the first time, she was blocked by her work’s web administration. The message she received:

This site has been blocked by digital security because classified under the P*ornography category.

Consider yourselves warned.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, pumpkins

Just when you thought pumpkins ruled this roost

September 2, 2010 By

The entire Canuck clan is in the Outer Banks this week (18 family members = concentrated chaos).

The only member who was left behind was Remy a.k.a. Fat Kitty. The fat dude can survive if we leave him for a weekend by himself but an entire seven days?

Ugly.

We found this out when he stayed behind for 10 days as we journeyed to Utah.

“But Jamie was with him,” some may protest.

Let’s just say the Lord of the Gourds ain’t too willing to snuggle up to our somewhat needy fat kitty.

Remy is like most cats: he sleeps a lot. He hangs out around us in the morning and after dinner and disappears for several hours for his afternoon naps. But the evenings? Fat dude comes to life and desperately needs to cuddle up to someone in bed.

As he found out last week, that someone ain’t Jamie.

Poor fat cat was so stressed from the lack of affection that his hair started falling out in clumps.

And so I have brought in reinforcements while we are gone. I, the very woman who never even wanted a cat, have hired a cat sitter to stay with him. To snuggle him. Take him for walks in our backyard until he throws up from eating all the grass.

Oh wait. That’s only what happens when Jamie forgets to bring him inside.

Despite Jamie’s indifference to the cat that the rest of us adore, I was surprised to discover he named our production company after him.


Didn’t know we had a production company?

Neither did I.

But to tide you over ’til next week….

Enjoy this revealing video that demonstrates pumpkins probably do rule this roost.

P.S. Is it just me or does the Lord of the Gourds not even pronounce “pumpkin” correctly?

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Humor, Jamie, pumpkins
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