October is certainly one of the Island's most magnificent months. Visually rich, with turning leaves contrasting against a clear,  crisp sky. Evenings bring spectacular sunsets and a harvest moon rising red on the horizon.

Autumn's Orange Bounty
At farm stands, there are few sights more delightful than a still green  meadow aglow with orange pumpkins. What can be more fun a  cool, crisp day than to spend some time picking out some perfect pumpkins. Depending on whether your plan is to carve or to cook, start your project by picking the perfect pumpkin, some hints and suggestions follow.
 
Carving your Pumpkin
If you plan to carve your pumpkin. color and shape are your main concerns.  Sometimes it's ghoulishly fun to have the pumpkin a bit green to accentuate the macabre.  But if roasting the seeds you find inside is also a priority, stay with well-ripened specimens.  These are most likely to have lots of plump seeds to roast for snacking.

For Cooking and Baking

• Look for "pie pumpkins" or "sweet pumpkins" that are smaller, sweeter & easier to work with.
• Stay away from pumpkins that are light in relation to their size. These tend to be less fleshy.
• Select pumpkins with at least 2 inches of stem left intact. Stemless pumpkins decay quickly.
• Avoid pumpkins with blemishes & soft spots though the shape of the pumpkin is unimportant.
• One pound of raw, untrimmed pumpkin yields about 1 cup of finished puree.