America's Pie Pumpkin

 

I am completely fascinated with pumpkins and winter squash.  What would fall be without a pumpkin patch? Large vigorous vines spreading, reaching, and climbing up fences and corn stalks.  Beautiful flowers with squash bees getting the job of pollinating done.  And finally after patiently waiting until fall, pumpkins in all shapes, sizes, and colors pop up through the green vines.  I'm hoping my love of pumpkins encourages you to designate an area for your own pumpkin patch. 

When you visit a pumpkin patch you are on a quest to find the perfect pumpkin.  I consider myself on a quest to grow the perfect pie or sugar pumpkin.  This last season I tried a variety that made the top of the list.

Pie Pumpkins or Sugar Pumpkins

I want to introduce you to America's pie pumpkin, the Dickinson pumpkin.  Elijah Dickinson introduced Dickinson pumpkin seeds to Eureka IL in 1835.  The result was one of the most valuable heirlooms and literally a million dollar pumpkin.  

His family developed this large blocky pumpkin into the pie pumpkin we are all familiar with.  Dickinson is the pumpkin used in Libby's canned pumpkin puree.  

Making Pumpkin Puree

Sixty years after Elijah Dickinson brought his seeds to Illinois, his family acquired a canning factory.  They started producing canned pumpkin.  They sold the cannery during the depression to Libby. Libby eventual developed their own hybrid strain from the Dickinson pumpkin; it varies little from the original Dickinson.  It is now considered the most widely grown heirloom.

As most heirlooms have a story to tell, there is more intrigue with the Dickinson pumpkin.  Dickinson family legend claims the recipe on the back of the Libby pie came from Elijah's grandmother.  One day his grandfather, who remained a manager of the plant after Libby purchased it, came home and told his wife Hazel,  "We need a pie recipe for Libby's." She baked lots of different recipes some better than others and the family ate them all.  Eventually the perfect recipe was reached and the rest is "canned pumpkin history."  The Libby or maybe more appropriately the Dickinson pie recipe has been on the label of the Libby can since 1950.  I have a Libby label folded up in my recipe box.  It's my favorite pumpkin pie recipe.  (Information from The Wholesale Seed Catalog from Baker Creek)  

So with such a charming history I hope you decide to try this heirloom in your garden.  It is moshata species, a pumpkin which is not as commonly grown as other species so that's good for those saving seeds.  The flesh is a beautiful bright orange inside with a dull smooth ribbed skin outside.  It is a stunning pumpkin.  They weigh 10-30 lbs giving you lots of puree to freeze.  This pumpkin also is an excellent keeper that will store up to five months. It needs a long growing season, warm nights, and plenty of water. Dickinson is a heirloom I treasure and will continue to include in my pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread