With Halloween quickly approaching, it is dire that you learn how to properly carve a pumpkin. So whether you are entering a pumpkin-carving contest or just placing them in front of your travel trailer, you will blow the competition away.
First things first, pick your pumpkin. Now this step could make you or break you. Make sure to choose a large pumpkin so you have plenty of room for your design. HEB, Walmart and other local stores like the Blunzter Fruit Stand have great prices on large pumpkins. OR if you decide to make an entire day out of finding the perfect pumpkin, check out all the local pumpkin patches!
Once you have picked the perfect pumpkin and you are back at home, the carving process starts! You'll need a large, sharp knife to cut the top of the pumpkin. Personally, I wouldn't worry about buying the carving set. I have purchased one before and it made cutting and carving harder than it should have been.
Now that the crown of the pumpkin has been completely cut off, place the top to the side. Grab a large spoon and start digging in! You'll want to remove all the seeds and fibers from inside the pumpkin. If you are like me, you might be thinking about salvaging the pumpkin seeds. Go for it. Simply separate the seeds from the fibers and pieces of pumpkin flesh and place the seeds in a bowl. I personally love eating pumpkin seeds so cleaning the seeds, seasoning them and placing them in the oven to bake is a must for me!
Hopefully you have been thinking about your design because it is free-style time! Grab a sharpie or a marker that will not smudge and start outlining the face of the pumpkin. Using a smaller knife, start cutting out the eyes, nose and mouth. If you skipped the carving set, make sure to take extra precaution while you are using these sharp knives to carve out your pumpkin's face. If this is your first pumpkin rodeo, sometimes the knife will get caught in a little pumpkin groove so make sure to carve away from you.
As you finish carving out the last bit of your pumpkin, grab the battery-operated tea light you will be using to light up your pumpkin. Once the light is placed in the middle of your spooky masterpiece, place the crown of the pumpkin back on top! You now have the best looking carved pumpkin on the block or in the park!
Enjoy the cooler weather, pass out lots of candy and remember to be safe this upcoming Halloween. If you are in the area and need a place to stay, remember Totem Pole RV Park is located in Mathis, Texas off of I-37. We are only a short drive from Corpus Christi and we are located near many work sites. Have a safe and happy Halloween!