Pumpkin Day 2004
RELEASE DATE: 31st October 2004
Lady Godiva proved herself to be naked at Pumpkin Day 2004, organised by the Action 21 Food Group. This rather ordinary looking pumpkin (right) holds a secret – seeds without a shell – green and ready to eat, just like the ones you buy in the shops.
Judy Steele, who had grown the pumpkin, did not cut it until the day, but Lady G did not disappoint. This was just a small part of the Action 21 Food Group’s Pumpkin Day, attended by over 100 people, at least 50 per cent of whom were children.
All the pumpkins were local and came from either the Beard’s farm at Leek Wootton or HDRA at Ryton Organic Gardens. Over 80 were used. Local allotment holders also donated pumpkins and a few submitted theirs against Councillor Bernard Kirton’s. One was slightly bigger, but as we had no scales we couldn’t be sure, and awarded them both a prize.
The event is aiming to become self–supporting, and money raised from the sale of plants at the Peace Festival plus donations on the day mean that it covered two-thirds of its cash costs. But if donations in kind and donations of volunteer time are added in it made a huge profit.