Volunteers

We've got lots of small volunteer pumpkin patches cropping up from the remains of the fall pumpkins that Country Boys sent. We had several dump truck loads that we piled and then distributed around the farm where the sheep, goats, cattle and donkeys ate them up. The chickens finished off most of the remains but obviously a fair number of seeds slip by each year. The animals do not eat at the prickle-covered stems and leaves but are delighted as the fruit begins to develop. They don't want the little green knot of a pumpkin that is just started but will eat away at them once they are softball size or starting to turn yellow. We are pleased they find such an interesting treat as we have no real use for an ornamental pumpkin in July and most commercial jack-o-lantern pumpkins are not very good for eating.