Yeah. Who buys a pumpkin for it’s literal value as a food item? There’s canned pumpkin for that. Anything to do with buying a whole pumpkin is all about maintaining an experience and tradition. In that view, pumpkin carving a storebought pumpkin is the base experience, and going to the pumpkin patch is the extended experience. People can choose the level that matches their enthusiasm for fall festivities. Neither purchases are practical, but both can be worthwhile.
I don’t see this as much different as the buying a CD vs concert ticket mockery. Concert tickets are always economically an impractical purchase vs buying a copy. People don’t go to concerts to get a good deal, and there’s just as much crap to deal with as the muddy parking lot and unsocialized animals of a pumpkin patch. People go to concerts for a specific experience that brings them joy and forms memories. Mocking that desire is silly.
As someone living in a normal country where people actually buy and eat pumpkins, the whole concept of buying a food item to destroy for decoration is absolutely alien. I’m glad we don’t have that weird tradition here.
I’ve seen jack-o’-lanterns in the UK, US, Germany and France, but I haven’t travelled to most of the world and it’s hard to get reliable info about what holidays are celebrated in different countries and how people decorate
The jack o’ lanterns are composted in the garden if the squirrels and deer don’t get them first. The seeds are roasted for a snack. The guts or whatever you want to call the slimy insides are fed to the ducks. Ain’t nothing wasted.
Yeah. Who buys a pumpkin for it’s literal value as a food item? There’s canned pumpkin for that. Anything to do with buying a whole pumpkin is all about maintaining an experience and tradition. In that view, pumpkin carving a storebought pumpkin is the base experience, and going to the pumpkin patch is the extended experience. People can choose the level that matches their enthusiasm for fall festivities. Neither purchases are practical, but both can be worthwhile.
I don’t see this as much different as the buying a CD vs concert ticket mockery. Concert tickets are always economically an impractical purchase vs buying a copy. People don’t go to concerts to get a good deal, and there’s just as much crap to deal with as the muddy parking lot and unsocialized animals of a pumpkin patch. People go to concerts for a specific experience that brings them joy and forms memories. Mocking that desire is silly.
As someone living in a normal country where people actually buy and eat pumpkins, the whole concept of buying a food item to destroy for decoration is absolutely alien. I’m glad we don’t have that weird tradition here.
May I ask what country?
I’ve seen jack-o’-lanterns in the UK, US, Germany and France, but I haven’t travelled to most of the world and it’s hard to get reliable info about what holidays are celebrated in different countries and how people decorate
The jack o’ lanterns are composted in the garden if the squirrels and deer don’t get them first. The seeds are roasted for a snack. The guts or whatever you want to call the slimy insides are fed to the ducks. Ain’t nothing wasted.
A great and timely reminder for all that canned pumpkin is literally just as good as fresh.
I’ve personally tested it in 3 dishes, pie, cheesecake and soup, and my friends and family couldn’t tell the difference between canned and fresh.
I cooked a whole pumpkin once.
I’ll never do that again while pureed canned pumpkin exists.