Pumpkins on parade

It’s not hard to find the Palmer personal parade of pumpkins. Drive down just about any street and you will see them fully loaded on porches, store fronts, and in windows.

Pumpkin Patches—We’ve seen lots of pictures of local children embracing local pumpkins, this year. There are a number of Valley pumpkin patches, including the local farms and it’s a great thing to see. A little Palmer punkin holding a Palmer pumpkin! If you don’t object to imports, try Freddy’s produce department, or the atrium to Carr’s. They have the bumble-head,, fairytale, baby boo, warty goblin, Long Island cheese, peanut, and knucklehead varieties.

Pumpkin Foods—Local folks and businesses are offering all sorts of Palmer pumpkin goodness. Of course there are pumpkin spice lattes. But there is local Pumpkin beer, pumpkin tea, and pumpkin soup. NonEssentials has been baking up some pumpkin deliciousness to go with their dairy milk. Moonstone has made major batches of Pumpkin puree. Pumpkins are considered a fruit and are delicious to eat in many recipes, especially doughnuts! Locally people talk about their homemade pumpkin breads, cookies, muffins, and cake. And many love roasting the seeds from the jack-o’-lantern pumpkin.

Palmer Pumpkin—is it the word, the alliteration or the gourd? Just saying the word “pumpkin” is delightful. Conjuring up the picture of a pumpkin is the face of Halloween, fall festivals, and pie filling.

Pumpkin Price History—In Palmer, 40 years ago, an imported Pumpkin actually cost nearly 7 dollars a pound. It was the price of transport from the lower 48 to Alaska. Fortunately we don’t pay that ridiculous amount anymore. Plus we now have local pumpkins. Farmers have been perfecting pumpkin grow operations in Alaska for many years; now local pumpkins are far more popular with the success of small Valley produce farms.

Pumpkin Art—Palmer loves its’ embellished pumpkins in addition to its’ carved masterpieces. There are painted and wood burnt pumpkins. Some pumpkins are wearing rhinestones. And silk. And lights. And ribbons. Some pumpkins are wearing camo. Floral vase pumpkins are now available too. Can you even imagine if we did this with some of the big Alaska State Fair statuesque Pumpkins?

Pumpkin Ethics and Recycling—Moose love pumpkins, of any shape or color. Chickens love pumpkins. Pot Belly Pigs love pumpkins. An old dog of ours loved chasing the carved pumpkin carcass around in the snow. Don’t just toss the old pumpkin…give it to the animals and birds.

Palmer Pumpkin Parties—Palmer is plump full of Pumpkin and Halloween parties. Trick or Treat Street is downtown Palmer on Friday at 4pm and will involve many main street businesses. Across the street, at the Palmer Train Depot, will be a Warming Station, with hot chocolate, selfies and hayrides. On Saturday there’s a Halloween Party with H3 at the Palmer Train Depot; there’s the Tyson Jones Motown Fever Band at the Hatcher Pass Lodge from 4-7; , Live Music and costumes at Klondikes (both Friday and Saturday night) There’s the “Palmer Alley Cat” at Backcountry Bike and Ski Shop on Saturday at 6pm. Colony High School is the place for haunted x-countryTrails from 6-10. Elwood’s will have hot chocolate for children with costumes! Theres a Halloween “En”Witch”ment with the Herd” at the Musk Ox Farm on Thursday at 2pm And the Mat Su Animal Care Shelter is hosting Friday and Saturday. There’s a Trick or Treat at “Our Little Farm in Palmer” on Sunday from 12-4 which includes a haunted horse trailer, hay maze, barn trick or treat and pony rides. And there is the ever popular “Halloween Hollow” at the Fairgrounds from 3-8 on Saturday; this trick or treat event is a fundraiser for Mat Su Special Santa; admission is 1 unwrapped toy. The Palmer Bar has a party planned for 8pm on Sunday, Halloween. There are probably more events so keep your eyes open. Check websites for updated or altered information.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “2022 Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops NEXT WEEK!! Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222