The Rural Voice, 1983-04, Page 60RURAL LIVING
Treat Yourself
to Pumpkin Seeds
by Shelly Paulocik
Nothing makes the hours of effort
spent in the garden as rewarding as
does the satisfaction derived from eat-
ing its produce. This satisfaction is all
the greater when the fruits and vege-
tables you grow are otherwise unobtain-
able. One plant in this category is the
seed pumpkin.
A recent accomplishment in seed
breeding has been the development of a
pumpkin (or pumpkin -squash hybrid)
which produces a hull -less seed. This
opens a whole new realm of possibili-
ties for those interested in producing
nuts and seeds in their own garden.
The seed pumpkin is now available from
several sources under names such as
The Streaker (1), and Lady Godiva (2),
while a third source list their variety as
a naked seeded pumpkin -squash (3). All
of these varieties enable you to produce
nutritious, flavourful seeds without the
tedious task of shelling. The only
apparent difference between these var-
ieties is that the flesh of The Streaker is
suitable for pies, while that of the other
varieties is not.
In all but one respect, this pumpkin
is grown and treated like any other. The
very fact the seed lacks a seedcoat
makes it more prone to rot if the
conditions are not ideal; therefore, to
prevent low germination rates or total
failure you must time your planting
carefully. If sown directly outdoors, the
soil must be 65 to 70 degrees F. This
delays planting until June 15th in some
of the Rural Voice subscription area.
Although pumpkins do not transplant
well, seeds can be started indoors if
peat pots are used. In early May, sow a
few seeds in a 3" peat pot and keep the
soil moist and warm (65-70F.) until the
seeds have sprouted. In either case, the
plants need 10 to 15 feet of space in
the garden. Once they are well estab-
lished, the plants can be fertilized with
a 10-10-10 ratio every two weeks.
Since pollination and thus seed pro-
duction relies on bees, time any insec-
ticide applications so as to minimize
harm. Usually it's best to spray in early
evening. With good care and optimum
conditions the fruits should ripen to a
brilliant yellow-orange before frost. In
some areas this isn't always possible
so protect plants from frost if neces-
sary. When ripe, cut off the fruit intact
with several inches of stem. At this
point you can either process the seeds
immediately. or cure fruits by putting
them in a warm (70F.), dry room for 5
to 7 days, and store them for attention
later in the year.
Processing the seeds involves a few
simple steps. Slice open the pumpkin
and scoop out the seeds from the
cavity. The majority of stringy fibres
surrounding the seed can be separated
easily by hand. Place seeds in a sieve
and rinse repeatedly to flush off the
remaining fibre and flesh.
Next the seeds must be dried. If you
lack any of the specialized equipment
for drying food, you can spread the
seeds thinly on a cookie sheet and
place in a warm over (150°F.) for
several hours, or in a pilot -lit oven for a
few days, until all surface moisture is
gone. During this time the seeds may
require a "stir" to separate and dry
them completely.
If you decide to roast the seeds (after
they have been dried) you treat them
much like popping corn. Heat a few
tablespoons of oil in a skillet on high
heat. When the oil is warm, toss in
enough seeds to layer the pan and
continue roasting until they pop. Nat-
urally. these seeds, lightly salted, are at
their best when they are still warm, but
the raw or roasted seeds also keep very
well in an air -tight container.
There is only one problem that may
arise with extended storage of the
roasted seeds --- that's the difficulty of
successfully hiding such a delicious
snack, rich in protein, unsaturated fatty
acids, phosphorus and iron. But one
thing is certain --- when you munch on
these products of your labour you'll
know it's all been worthwhile.
(1) Dominion Seed House Ltd., George-
town, Ont. L7G 4A2
(2) William Dam Seed Ltd., Box 8400,
Dundas, Ont. L9H 6M1
(3) Stokes Seeds, Box 10, St. Catha-
rines, Ont. L2R 6R6
Don't go through Blyth
without stopping at
Yvonne's for
Homemade
Hamburgers
Milkshakes
Ice Cream Cones
Take -Out Dinners
(Also tables inside)
Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m
Mon. to Fri.
8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sat.
Closed on Sunday
Fronne's Take -Out
At
the Sunoco Station,
in the centre of Blyth,
east side of Highway 4.
CORN
CRIB
UNLOADERS
• Saves time and labor
• Improves ventilation
• Eliminates shovelling
• Can be installed in new or existing
cribs — round or rectangular
" DEALERS WANTED
Cribbing Wire available
SPEDQUIP
INDUSTRIES LTD.
RR 2, Dashwood, Ont.'
(519) 294-6757
THE RURAL VOICE, APRIL 1983 PG. 57