More Hip Than Hippie - The Great Pumpkin

More Hip Than Hippie #239 - The Great Pumpkin

Americans buy plenty of pumpkins in October, most of which go to waste after Halloween. Consider purchasing and eating locally-grown, organic pumpkins; next year, maybe you can grow your own!

Did you know that 90% of pumpkins sold in the US are used for making Jack-O-Lanterns? Most of those pumpkin parts are thrown out after Halloween, but these nutritious gourds are too good to waste! The Hipsters carve out a few tips for growing, eating and saying goodbye your Great Pumpkin. Linus would approve.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Belgium's Mikkellar Simcoe IPA was OK, but somewhat forgettable. Val's attempt at a Belgian accent? Priceless.

Chocolate: We broke out the backup chocolate this week: Godiva Chocolatier Gems Dark Chocolate Truffles. Again, kinda meh...but the shiny purple foil makes a satisfying crinkly sound.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

 

• Lots of dough. This year's Neiman Marcus Christmas Book features some eco-friendly luxuries, like the Mission One electric motorcycle and a chandelier made of plastic bottles. And the $25,000 cupcake car. Yes, the hat's included.
• Novel idea. Already rather eco-friendly, e-readers just turned a shade greener with the new LG Display solar cell e-book. Can you use it at the light-brary?

Hip News

• Say watt? The center of the power universe will be in New Mexico, if the Tres Amigas Superstation goes on as planned. The proposed super hub would streamline the flow of renewable energy.
• Hard times. Struggling financially, one brothel in Berlin is offering discounts to "green" customers who arrive via bike or bus. Still, business is up and down.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Plant some garlic! Find a sunny, weed-free patch and bury the unpeeled cloves about 2 inches down in the ground, pointy end up. Put some mulch on top and let it grow. Your reward will be a bountiful harvest next summer. After pulling the bulbs out of the ground, let them dry for a few days, then braid them together. You'll keep the vampires away for the rest of the year!

 

The Great Pumpkin

Chances are, you'll purchase at least one pumpkin this month. Sales of organic pumpkins are on the rise, but most of the conventionally-grown gourds hail from Illinois...meaning they're quite well-travelled by the time they reach your supermarket. Maybe it's time to think outside the pumpkin shell this Halloween!

• Grow. You can plant pumpkins after the last frost. They need a good 3-4 months of sunshine and lots of room to stretch their vines.
• Feast. Just about any pumpkin is perfectly edible and packed with nutrition . Check out these delicious recipes. Mmmm, Pumpkin Milkshake!
• Bury. This year's pumpkin scraps can help create next year's Jack-O-Lantern! Compost your pumpkin by cutting it into small pieces after removing all the seeds, candle wax and decorations.
• Treat. Don't miss out on the Pumpkin Smash! Get 'em at Jamba Juice, or make your own.

Listener E-mails

** (crickets) ** Hey! What happened to the e-mails? Send a question or a compliment to [e-mail]. Check out our new blog! And remember to post articles, links and pumpkin recipes at our MHTH forum!

• Jodi in Washington loves her stainless steel French Press mug from Planetary Design. She rocks the Boot Cut design because it's durable and tough to tip over.
• Alisa in New York recommends taking a Navy shower to reduce water consumption. For those less adventurous, we suggest using a shower timer.

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