Tis' the season for PUMPKINS! With Halloween coming up later this week, and being that we are in the middle of Autumn, pumpkins are being used for decorations and recipes all over. In this week's newsletter, we are going to look at what makes this fruit so special and unique.
WILD PUMPKINS
On a hike through our Conejo Open Space last November, I came across this little gourd growing along a trail. Could there really be pumpkins growing in the wild? I immediately took the picture above and sent it my my friend Anna, who works for the Conejo Open Space Agency that manages the open space and is my go-to resource when looking for information about plants along our trails. Guess what? We do have a version of wild pumpkins and she sent me the following information about this Native California Plant:
Cucurbita foetidissima AKA: stinking gourd, coyote gourd, calabazilla, buffalo gourd, and a variety of other common names.
It has a golden yellow squash-like flower in the early summer and its leaves emit a pretty funky odor when crushed – hence the “stinking” reference in the common name and reference to fetid in the botanical name.
For more information about this plant and other California Native Plants Visit: https://calscape.org
The pumpkins that you see during this time of year were more than likely grown in a garden or farm. One of the great things about the Conejo Valley is that we have access to farms growing wonderful fruits and vegetables all year, including pumpkins!
In the video below, Farmer Tiffany shares about the life-cycle of the pumpkins grown at Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark. She leads a virtual tour of the pumpkins grown at the farm and what to expect to see if you decide to visit the farm.
Last year, I decided to try for an Instagramable moment and make a bird feeder out of my pumpkin. I envisioned hilarious pictures of birds or squirrels entering the mouth of my pumpkin. Not a single bird or squirrel thought this was a great idea and you can see the disappointment on my pumpkin's face two weeks later.
There may have been a few steps that would have made this project a little more successful. Taking out the pumpkin guts, for instance, would have extended the life of the pumpkin. Adding bird seed would have been another important step I neglected to do.
"How Many Seeds In A Pumpkin?" By Margaret McNamara
Our local libraries are currently closed but do offer curbside pickup. Visit tolibrary.org for more information.
An adorable red panda in the Maruyama Zoo in Sapporo, Japan, goes absolutely bonkers for this pumpkin.
BATTY BIRTHDAY
POEM DRAWING
The amazing poems below were the submissions for the first ever Conejo Valley Nature Newsletter Contest.
Our family was so glad this was a random drawing and not a judging contest because there is no way we could choose between these great pieces of poetry. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
Congratulations to the poem "The Rhyming Bats" by Addy, Naomi, and Betsabe for being drawn to win a Bat House Kit for your yard!
A Poem by Zoe
I had a little bat The smallest I’ve ever seen He hung upside down And I fed him carrots and beans
A Poem by Megan
There once was a bat named Flappy who ate bugs and was very happy he came out at night and gave you a fright then went back to his cave for a nappy.
A Poem by Samuel
A bat had a hat A bad hat
A bat had a cat A mad cat
The cat wore the hat so the bat scratched the cat
And now they’re all mad about that
Bats Rule by Lily
Bats are great, Bats are cool. Bats are nocturnal, Who knew?
Bats like to hang while they sleep, It's true! Bats are very similar to you. They are smart And have many opinions about their food.
Make sure that if you ever see an injured bat, That you call for help And remember that bats rule!
DRAWING WINNER The Rhyming Bats by Addy, Naomi, & Betsabe Bats eat cat food instead of bat food. Bats take flight while they are eating the night. Baths have things instead of winings. Bats eat dogs instead of frogs. Bats eat cats instead of rats. Bats say yum yum rats. Bats have rare instead of hair.
ARE YOU AN EDUCATOR? If you would like this information in a format you can distribute to your class, let's chat! Email Christina at naturekidsactivities@gmail.com
THIS IS A CLUB SO LET'S SHARE OUR ADVENTURES! This week, share your nature pictures using the hashtag: #CONEJOVALLEYNATURECLUB
