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Bemidji Minnesota

I know a lot tend to grow low and long pumpkins (1159 Richards shape), and they are not exactly classic Jack shape for carving, but does anyone ever just prop one up at a 45 degree angle and carve it that way?

It make perfect sense to me, as that way the most surface area is used in the carving but I never see pictures of the long + low ones carved.

Then there are the one with a high shoulder and low blossom ends (Emmons 1262 shapes). Why not just carve them as they are then? Seems like the easiest way to do it and it is naturally leaning back anyway, easier for people to see the "face".

My guess is a lot of folks don't even turn them into a Jack-O-lantern, but rather boats, just cut them to get the seeds, or drop them from 200'.

I like to see them turned into art, and I think no matter what the shape, there is a way to carve it.

4/4/2008 7:09:16 PM

Ohio

Holland has carved quite a few standing on its end. I agree though, carve the biggest and best side of the pumpkin

4/4/2008 8:35:48 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

Brooks, I just looked up pictures of your 1402. I do think the Bi-Color look is cool too.

I am guessing (based on your pics) that it was not carved, but rather cut for seeds and inspected for flaws, which obviously "chain breaker" had none. I do respect the decision to just get the seeds, but she would have made one heck of a Jack-O-Lantern.

I could easily imagine a fruit like that, first having the stem end cut out, like a regular Jack, big enough for you to crawl in and get your seeds. Then after that, she would be propped up at about 30 degree angle, stem end up, blossom end down.
Step two, would be to mark the areas for the face, and then carve a scary “relief sculpture” face onto the pumpkin, and that “snout” of a blossom end, would end up looking like an Arnold Schwarzenegger esque “Chin”, on the resulting Jack-O-Lantern.

4/4/2008 10:37:16 PM

Griffith, In

When we carve them, we tilt and turn them however we have to, to get the effect we want..,we flip them upside down, on their sides, carve the backs,,,whatever it takes. You just need the man power to get them in the position that you want them!!! If you want to see, look at the displays we've done over the last few years,,,,pictures are in my brothers' diaries,,,his name is John Barenie, and we do a major themed display every halloween.

4/5/2008 4:14:44 PM