Pumpkin Economics in Monterey County California by Ruth Paget

Pumpkin Economics in Monterey County by Ruth Paget

This past weekend, my daughter Florence Paget, husband Laurent, and I went to Trader Joe’s in Marina, California and admired the bumper crop of pumpkins coming in from the 2025 Harvest.

The photos below show some of the beautiful varieties on sale.  For photo details, spread your fingers apart on the image to enlarge it.

For other pumpkin harvests when my daughter was little, I took her to Earthbound Farm in Carmel Valley to buy pumpkins to make homemade salted pumpkin seeds and savory pumpkin soup.

My travel memoir from this staycation outing follows:

Earthbound Farm Outing

For people who would like to make an easier pumpkin soup, I have posted my recipe for pumpkin soup using canned  pumpkin purée below:

Pumpkin Soup Recipe Created by Ruth Paget

For people who would to buy ready-made pumpkin pies and/or pumpkins, you can go to The Farm just outside Salinas at the Spreckels exit off Highway 68 (Main Street become Highway 68 outside of town).

The Farm is an agricultural research station with a model farm, country store, community supported agricultural produce box subscription program, and bakery.

I have posted a link to The Farm’s website below:

The Farm in Salinas, California

Harvest Pumpkins at The Farm pictured below:

For people interested in a fall festival with pumpkins and a corn maze head out to Swank Farms in Hollister (San Benito County).  Ticket details and information are posted below:

Swank Farms Fall Festival

Cooler weather is coming, which is perfect for warm berages with pumpkin spice as well.

Whatever your preference, enjoy the 2025 bumper crop of pumpkins in Monterey County.

Note:  The internal mesh around the pumpkin seeds might be able to be used as feed for hogs and chickens or as organic fertilizer to make the pumpkin a no-food-waste item.  The pumpkin skins might be able to be used as feed and fertilizer as well.  I think pumpkins are pretty slop for hogs.

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Tree Drawing Book for Fall posted by Ruth Paget

Fall is a great season to practice drawing trees, because you can see their underlying structure better when they have no leaves.  The following book might interest artists:

Tree Drawing Book

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks  and Marrying France

Healing Power of Coconut Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Healing Power of Coconut Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

I decided to read Healing Power of Coconut by Jacqueline B. Marcus, because I can easily obtain coconuts and coconut products where I live in Salinas, California. (Lucky Supermarket and Weee Asian Grocery Delivery both carry these items.) 

Healing Power of Coconut is a go-to reference for everything coconut that includes healthy recipes, nutrition information, making beauty products with coconut, and making homeopathic cures for mild and temporary illnesses with coconut. 

I still view coconut primarily as food and liked the nutrition discussion in the book. According to Marcus, one medium coconut contains: 

-0 cholesterol 

-36 grams dietary fiber 

-13 grams protein 

It also has as part of a minimum daily calorie intake: 

-5% calcium 

-21% Vitamin C 

-53% iron 

-10% Vitamin B-6 

-31% magnesium 

Magnesium has several roles in the body including muscle and nerve function, bone health for density and absorption of calcium, DNA and protein synthesis, and the prevention of anxiety. 

Vitamin B-6 is very important as well and supports nerve function, immune system function, red blood cell formation, and brain development. 

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps remove free radicals from the body that may cause cancer from the body. Iron helps transport oxygen in blood through the body. Calcium helps build strong bones. 

There are more nutrients than you would think in this tasty fruit, seed, and nut that originated in Southeast Asia and now grows along tropical seashores according to Marcus. 

I ate most coconut in banana bread growing up along with raisins and chocolate chips. There is a recipe for this banana bread in the Healing Power of Coconut. It tastes great with a mug of espresso or Darjeeling tea. 

That recipe and the recipes for pumpkin curry and Caribbean callaloo soup are my favorites in the book. 

Caribbean callaloo soup is made with coconut oil, onion, garlic, bone chicken breasts, butternut squash, chicken broth, jalapeño peppers, thyme, fresh spinach, and coconut flakes. This soup can be easily made in Salinas and enjoyed with reggae music playing. 

The pumpkin curry is also doable in Salinas, California. The pumpkin curry is made with coconut oil, extra firm tofu, red curry paste, pumpkin purée, coconut milk, sriracha sauce, 4 cups cut-up seasonal vegetables, peas, rice, and Thai basil. 

Healing Power of Coconut by Jacqueline B. Marcus is an informative and enjoyable book that cooks wanting to expand their product knowledge and skills might enjoy reading. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

UChicago Press Botany Books 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

Californians might enjoy browsing the University of Chicago Press books below:

Click for UChicsgo Botany 2025 Books

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Mother Grains Reviewed by Ruth Paget

Mother Grains Reviewed by Ruth Paget 

Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution by Roxana Jullapat encourages readers to add or substitute mother grains into their favorite recipes for better flavor, more protein, more fiber, more vitamins, and more minerals. 

Jullapat covers 8 grains in detail in her book:  

-barley 

-buckwheat – technically a shrub not a grain 

-corn 

-oats 

-rice 

-rye 

-sorghum 

-wheat with the subcategories below: 

-  einkorn 

-  spelt 

-  emmer or farro 

-  Khorasan sold under the brand kamut 

- Durum which is ground into semolina flour

-Heirloom red or white wheat 

Other flours, which you can find now in supermarkets, that Jullapat deals with briefly include: 

-bulgur – parboiled, dried, and ground made from durum wheat usually 

-freekah –fresh green durum wheat 

-amaranth – Mexican shrub 

-quinoa – Andean shrub 

Jullapat loves sweets. Her recipes beg to be eaten with a mug of hot coffee and hot milk. Some of my favorite recipes from Mother Grains include: 

-persimmon sticky pudding with barley malt syrup 

-rice pudding made with Thai coconut milk cream 

-pecan pie made with sorghum syrup 

People in the following professions might find Mother Grains useful: 

-bakers 

-bar-restaurant owners 

-hair dressers (something sweet to eat while waiting)

-cruise directors 

-religious organizations

General readers will find many ideas to put extra protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals into their favorite dishes in Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution by Roxana Jullapat. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Click for Ruth Paget's Books

Carmel Valley Garden Show - May 4, 2025 reposted by Ruth Paget

The Carmel Valley Garden Club will be hosting the Carmel Valley Garden Show on May 4, 2025.

Information below;

Click for Carmel Valley Garden Show Information

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France