It took us about 2 hours to drive to Frankfort in northwest Michigan, south of Traverse City. It was well worth our time to see the giant pumpkin sculpting at the home of Pumpkin Ed. When we got there, we saw a quaint home with small pumpkins sitting on the porch railing, lots of Halloween decorations, and a spooky graveyard in the yard. Lined up along the sidewalk were the giant pumpkins. I couldn't wait to get out of our truck.
We were greeted by Ed Moody, who loves to talk to his visitors. He says it all about the joy and smiles of people when they see his pumpkins. Pumpkin Ed's real name is Ed Moody. By day, he is an electrical inspector. By night, during the autumn season, he becomes a master pumpkin sculptor. He started carving unique jack-o-lanterns when his sons were young. The first giant pumpkin that he sculpted was 12 years ago. All of the giant pumpkins he sculpts are grown in Michigan. The giant pumpkin in the picture weighed 1083 pounds and only took Pumpkin Ed about 3 hours to carve! He uses only 4 kitchen knives to do all of his pumpkin sculpting.
Pumpkin Ed loves to create a new Cinderella-like pumpkin carriage every year. He has fancy Cinderella dresses for little girls to wear for photographs. They can sit inside the giant pumpkin or on the carriage steps for photographs, depending on their size.
It's awesome just to see and touch the giant pumpkins. Once they are carved, they are astounding! These giant pumpkins will only grow from Dill's Atlantic Giant Seed. Much like the magic seed that Jack planted for his beanstalk, these seeds will grow giant pumpkins over 400 pounds. They were developed by Howard Dill in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Pumpkin Ed harvests the seeds from his giant pumpkins. He washes and dries them to give back to the growers. These giant pumpkins will last 3 days to 3 weeks after they are carved. Their longevity depends on the weather and their growth conditions. He cuts rotting giant pumpkins into chunks to use as mulch.
Pumpkin Ed sculpts smaller pumpkins for Michigan elementary schools. The giant pumpkins are sculpted for non-profit organizations, benefits, and giant pumpkin weigh-off festivals in Michigan. When we talked to him the other day, he was excited about going to DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids on Friday. He will demonstrate his pumpkin sculpting talents for the children there. On Saturday, he will be at the Big Rapids Halloween Festival & Parade.
Last year Pumpkin Ed's Halloween display drew 50,000 visitors and over 1,500 trick-or-treaters. If your school, town, or organization would like Pumpkin Ed to visit for a pumpkin sculpting demonstration, visit his website here and send him an email. If you're looking for a fun autumn get-away in Michigan, make a trip to the home of Pumpkin Ed at 722 Leelanau Avenue in Frankfort.
Sources:
Personal Experience
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