The US pumpkin industry is worth over $150 million, with 80% of sales in October. The Jack-o’-lantern tradition originated with turnips in Ireland, and all parts of the squash are edible. Top producing states are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California.
Ninety-nine percent of pumpkins sold in the United States are used for decoration, but it’s still a lucrative industry. The American squash industry is valued at over $150 million US Dollars (USD). Perhaps unsurprisingly, approximately 80 percent of pumpkin sales in the United States occur during the month of October.
Learn more about pumpkins:
The iconic Jack-o’-lantern didn’t actually start out as a pumpkin. It was an Irish tradition to carve turnips, beets or turnips to scare away spirits on Halloween. When the Irish emigrated to America, they brought the tradition with them, but were forced to use pumpkins because there were no readily available turnips at the time.
Nearly every part of the squash is edible, including the seeds, flesh and flowers, which can be battered and fried, added to soup, or used as an edible garnish.
The top squash-producing states in the United States are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California.
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