Ghost - Use an old sheet. Take care that the eye holes you cut won't slip and hinder vision.
Zorro - Wear all black clothing, a black cape, a black eye mask and a red sash. Carry a fake sword.
Pirate - Cut off black jeans and leave them raggedy. Use any old shirt and cut holes in it or create stains. Make an eyepatch with black elastic and felt, and tie a bandanna pirate-style over your head. You can add an earring or a sword. Facepaint can be used for an unshaven look, a scar, or a mustache.
Sherlock Holmes - The look is white pants and shirt, brown cape, vest, magnifying glass and sleuth hat. Or, go as a generic detective in a trench coat, hat and shades.
Witch - This classic is as easy as it is fun. Wear a black dress or long skirt with a black cape or shawl and a witch's hat. Face paint and broom are optional.
Scarecrow - Wear jeans, a checkered shirt, bandana and a hat. Band together little bundles of straw and place them so they'll stick out of the hat, collar and cuffs. You can sew fake patches on the clothing and use a corncob pipe.
Hobo - You can use baggy pants and an old, oversized men's suit jacket. Stuff a bandanna with "your worldly goods" to hang from a stick and carry over your shoulder.
Cowboy/cowgirl - Wear a western shirt and jeans. Toy gun and holster sets are inexpensive.
You can add cowboy hat, bandanna, and boots depending on what you have available
Mummy - cut old white sheets into long strips and wrap them around body, arms, legs and around face.
CANDY SELECTION
Children should always trick-or-treat with an adult.
Children should not snack while they're trick-or-treating. Parents should check treats at home.
Watch for signs of tampering, such as small pinholes in wrappers and torn or loose packages.
Parents of young children should get rid of choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
HOME FRONT SAFETY
Keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters by removing anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
Check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
Sweep away wet leaves from sidewalks and steps.
Are pumpkins vegetables?
A pumpkin is not a vegetable; it's a fruit! In fact, it's a berry. Pumpkins belong to the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes cucumbers, melons, squash, and gourds. Within this family is the genus Cucurbita which includes gourds, winter and summer squash and all varieties of pumpkin. There are four species that are considered "pumpkins", but only one is the species most people would recognize as the traditional pumpkin used for carving jack-o-lanterns and baking pies.
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Why are pumpkins different sizes and shapes?
Pumpkins grow in many different shapes for a variety of reasons. Weather is one factor, since pumpkins were originally grown in northern climates those are the ones we recognize as "traditional". As pumpkins moved with the settlers to different climates throughout the Unites States, different species had to be developed depending on the climate. Humans have had the most impact as we save and plant seeds from only the heartiest, or the smallest, or the sweetest pumpkins, depending on what kind of pumpkin they were looking for.
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Why do some pumpkins grow to be very large?
Many growers cross-pollinate different varieties of pumpkins to create new ones. All "Giant" pumpkins grown today evolved from seeds developed by William Warnock around the turn of the century. He grew the very first record-breaking pumpkin in 1893. It weighed 365 pounds.
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How can I determine if the pumpkins my family grew are ripe?
Pumpkins should be harvested before the first hard frost, which kills the vines and ruins pumpkins for storage. When pumpkins are mature, their vines and leaves shrivel, turn brown and die back. Fruits turn from yellow to bright orange, and rinds harden.
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How do I cook pumpkins?
Smaller, pie pumpkin varieties such as the New England Sugar or Baby Pam are good to use for cooking because they have a sweeter flavor. Choose a pumpkin that is heavy for its size (about 3-5 pounds), has a hard rind, and is free of blemishes or bruises. A 3½ lb. pumpkin yields approximately 1 cup of pumpkin puree. You can bake, boil, steam, or pressure-cook fresh pumpkin.
Microwave: On high, 7 minutes per pound.
Oven: Halved, cut-side down, 425 degree oven at least one hour.
Stove: In small amount of water, puncture and cook whole, or peel and cut into 1-inch cubes. Boil covered until tender.
To puree the cooked pumpkin, scoop out and process in a blender until thick and smooth. May be refrigerated up to 3 days. Use this pumpkin as you would pumpkin from a can. To freeze the cooked pumpkin, pack in bags or plastic containers for up to several months. Here's a great pumpin pie recipe.
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Am I able to cook the seeds?
Seeds can be roasted and eaten, or can be dried and given to the birds and squirrels. To roast pumpkinseeds, clean out pumpkin, remove seeds from the pumpkin goo and wash them thoroughly. Let them dry for a day or so on a paper towel. Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl, add 2 cups of dried seeds and toss them until they are all coated with oil. Spread them out on a cookie sheet. Bake them in a 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes. Stir them every 10 or 15 minutes while they are baking. Shell and eat like sunflower seeds.
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Does something happen to pumpkins once they've been frozen? Do they get mushy? Can someone still carve them?
Pumpkins frozen in the field will not last as long and rot more quickly than pumpkins picked before freezing weather sets in. Depending on how solidly frozen they have become, they may be too soft to carve when thawed.
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How do you preserve a Jack-o-lantern?
To keep a pumpkin from drying out, cover it with a damp towel when it is not on display. To make your pumpkin last longer, wait for half an hour after you finish carving, then rub the cut areas and inside with a dry cloth and apply a protective coating such as petroleum jelly, clear furniture wax, or vegetable oil painted on with a brush. Some expert pumpkin carvers use several coats of lacquer or hair spray, which gives it a nice glossy finish.
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