One of the things I absolutely love growing on our homestead is pumpkins.
For the longest time, I had a pumpkin-growing dream.
I wanted to grow one of those HUGE pumpkins. You know the ones. The pumpkins that weigh 500, 800, 1,000 pounds or more.
The kind of pumpkin where you don’t just pick it up and carry it inside. You need a tractor, a wagon, three people, and possibly a small construction crew.
I’ve always thought it would be amazing to grow one of those monsters.
And maybe someday I still will.
But this year, I accomplished another pumpkin-growing dream. I grew two Jarrahdale pumpkins!
I know.
Try to contain your excitement.
I realize that saying, “I grew two pumpkins,” probably doesn’t sound like some major accomplishment.
But here’s the thing…
I’ve been trying to grow Jarrahdales for YEARS.
And every year I’d plant them, give them attention, water them, watch them grow…
And then apparently the pumpkins would hold a little meeting and decide:
“Nope. Not this year.”
Because gardening is like that.
You can carefully plant seeds, water them, fertilize them, weed around them, protect them from bugs, and generally give them more attention than anything else got…
And the plant can still look at you and say,
“I have chosen death.”
So imagine my excitement when this year I walked out into the garden and discovered not one…but TWO JARRAHDALE PUMPKINS.
I DID IT! HAPPY DANCE!!
Jarrahdale pumpkins are pretty cool looking, too.
They’re an Australian heirloom variety named after Jarrahdale in Western Australia. Instead of the traditional bright orange pumpkin, they have this gorgeous blue-gray, almost slate-colored skin. They’re ribbed and somewhat flattened, which makes them look like they showed up to the pumpkin patch wearing fancy clothes.
And they’re not just pretty.
They’re edible, too.
The flesh inside is a beautiful orange color and is sweet and flavorful, making them great for things like roasting, soups, baking and pies. They also store well, which is always a bonus when you’re trying to grow food instead of just growing things that look pretty for Instagram. Although let’s be honest…
I still think they’re pretty enough to sit on the porch and show off for a while.
Because that’s another thing I love about growing our own food. There’s something incredibly satisfying about walking outside and seeing something that started as a tiny seed and thinking,
“I grew that.”
Even if it’s only two pumpkins.
And maybe that’s one of the things homesteading has taught me.
We tend to think every accomplishment has to be BIG.
A huge garden.
A giant harvest.
A barn full of animals.
A freezer packed with food.
A pantry that looks like you’re preparing for the apocalypse.
And yes, those things are awesome.
But sometimes success looks like two weird blue-gray pumpkins sitting in your garden. Sometimes it’s getting your first tomato to actually ripen.
Sometimes it’s keeping a plant alive long enough to produce something you can eat.
And sometimes it’s finally growing the thing you’ve been trying to grow for years.
So no…
I didn’t grow a 2,000-pound pumpkin this year, but I grew two Jarrahdales.
And after all the years of trying, I’m pretty darn proud of them.
Maybe someday I’ll grow that giant pumpkin.
And when I do, I’ll be out there standing beside it thinking…
“Well crap. Now how the heck am I getting this thing into the house?”
For now, though?
I’m going to celebrate my two pumpkins, because around here, two pumpkins can absolutely be a big deal.
Whats something you have been trying to grow ?
Thank you for reading, please share!
#mjbackyardingwithkids #PleaseShare #Jarrahdalepumpkin
#pumpkinseason
#growing
Leave a comment