Swafford’s father raised tomatoes and other produce and passed his passion down.
“Pumpkins are fun to grow,” Swafford says. “They are pretty to look at (and) can be used in decorations. And they have a lot of holistic purposes.” He adds that they’re very healthy for humans and livestock to eat. In his experience, chickens, cows and pigs have a particular affinity for the popular fruit.
Gourds are fun for Swafford, too. “There’s so many different kinds,” he says. “You can put them on trellises or the ground. There are so many different things you can do.”
Choosing Varieties
Swafford’s excitement for the subject makes it easy to see why he feels that pumpkins and gourds can be a great addition to any farm. The fun starts with choosing which varieties that you will grow. Pumpkins grown for decoration have a wide variety of options to choose from. “It’s your preference,” he says. “You can get them with wrinkles, tall or oblong, short and squatty, or where they look like the traditional jack-o’-lanterns,” he says.
There are even choices with the stems. You can choose a variety with stems that grow as much as 20 inches long, curly and 8 inches thick. While the long-stem jack-o-lantern varieties are one of Swafford’s favorite types to grow, he cautions that they aren’t a high-yielding pumpkin variety. But, whatever you want in a pumpkin now, they have it bred up and you can find it.
Bu hikaye Hobby Farms dergisinin March - April 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Hobby Farms dergisinin March - April 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Ostrich EDUCATION
If you're looking for a unique livestock option, these large, flightless birds might be the answer.
Spiced Apple Rings
Learn the best and tastiest ways to put up the traditional canning foods, from tomatoes and green beans to apples and peaches in this new book.
RURAL REBOUND
Have cities reached their peak?
Pie Time!
Make a sweet potato crumb pie for the holidays or any day!
Soil SOLUTIONS
By practicing more sustainable farming techniques, we can bring back the rich topsoil of the preindustrial era.
Groundbreaking Fertilizer
Raise compost worms and harvest their waste, which is a natural and powerful plant fertilizer.
Cut & Dried
DRYING YOUR HERB HARVEST OFFERS AN EASY WAY TO PRESERVE ITS FLAVOR AND USEFULNESS FOR PROJECTS AND RECIPES YEAR-ROUND.
HERB-INFUSED LIP BALM
CREATE A SOOTHING AND GENTLE PRODUCT PERFECT FOR HEALING DRY, CHAPPED LIPS.
Heart & Soul
CONSIDER SOME HEART- AND LUNG HEALTHY HERBS.
TO LIFT You Up
HERBS CAN PROVIDE EXTRA SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO DEPRESSION.