Happy Halloween from the Haunted Attraction Network!

In a recent NY Times article, professional pumpkin carver, Adam Bierton discussed his path to this unusual job and shared some tips of the trade to carve the perfect pumpkin this season. “I bathe all my pumpkins and store them with a fan blowing on them so bugs don’t get in there. Then the first step is to to peel the pumpkin. You remove the hard orange skin, which allows access to that beautiful flesh that’s underneath, which is great for sculpting. Next I’ll block in the face with a ribbon tool. I’m kind of playing with perspective and drawing with shadow: the deeper the cut, the darker the shadow. Gradually, I start to work with smaller tools, and I finish with knife work.” What is the biggest mistake the average person makes when carving their own jack-o-lanterns? According to Bierton, it is cutting a hole in the top of the pumpkin. Instead he suggests, “Go in through the back, by cutting a big square or an octagon. Cutting a hole in the top of the pumpkin takes away from the character of a long, ornate stem. People cut the bottom too. That’s no good, because the juice ends up everywhere.”

Jack-o-lanterns do not have to end up in the local landfill after Halloween. Once they have adorned your porch for the festive evening, pumpkins can be composted, left as a snack for backyard wildlife, or donated to a community garden, farm, or zoo. Need ideas of where to donate? Pumpkins for Pigs has a map of animal farms, sanctuaries, and rescues across the U.S. that accept pumpkin donations. Donated pumpkins are excellent feed and a wonderful treat to the animals.