Yesterday was pumpkin carving day. Just in time for Halloween!
I apologize for the crummy quality of the pictures, but here are our scary creations.
One of the pumpkins, you'll notice, is green striped. This is a really neat pumpkin that we grew this year named "Kakai" pumpkin. I tried this variety from Johnny's Seeds because it's listed as having a hull-less seed.
From Johnny's seed catalog:
Kakai
(Cucurbita pepo)
Striped fruits, delicious "pumpkin nuts."
Eye-catching, medium-small, avg. 5-8 lb., black-striped pumpkins. After displaying the pumpkins next fall, you can scoop out the large, dark green, completely hull-less seeds, which are absolutely delicious roasted. Kakai is a variety of the Austrian type that yields the valuable green pumpkin seed oil that some European studies show promotes prostate health. Semi-bush, short-vine plants. Avg. yield: 2-3 fruits/plant. Order 2860T (Treated/film-coated), or 2860 (Untreated). Avg. 2,200 seeds/lb. Packet: 30 seeds.
Days to Maturity or Bloom: 100
The pumpkin grows with a striking green and orange striped skin - lovely for carving.
And the seeds truly are green.
They seeds are hull-less. When roasted, the thin skin is crisp and easy to eat. The flavor tastes deliciously pumpkin-y and the seeds seem to be meatier than other pumpkin seeds I've had. I have a few more kakai pumpkins and plan to roast and save the seeds for future healthy snacks (and save some for next year's planting). I haven't roasted the flesh yet, but I think the lovely orange color will yield a nice pumpkin puree.
I will definitely grow this variety again and I'm already planning to include them in next year's CSA!
Unfortunately, I think the kakai pumpkin may like to celebrate Halloween a bit too much! This "drunken" one definitely overindulged!
Don't forget to hop over to Homestead Revival today! You'll begin a lovely trip down the blogging rabbit hole!
