The last market day featured live music from the U.S. Army Band, farm animal exhibits.

Visitors were able to bowl with squash, help harvest and learn about sweet potatoes for DC Central Kitchen, pick and paint pumpkins, meet farm animals, shop for fresh picked local produce from the Chesapeake Bay Region, enjoy prepared foods, see live turkeys from Tall Cotton Farm, get a farm animal and veggie-themed temporary tattoo to wear, and shop for food inspired art work.

âVegUâ Program Coordinators prepared and talk about a pumpkin curry soup recipe during free 10-minute fruit and vegetable classes at the âVegU(cation)â tent where people learned how to how to pick, store, and prepare pumpkin curry soup. Fruits and vegetables are featured during their peak harvest time.

The USDA farmers market is located on the corner of 12th Street and Independence Ave, SW; features live music, 30+ farmers, ranchers, and small business owners in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

The festival played host to thousands of visitors from around America and looks to open May 4, 2018. For more information visit usda.gov/farmersmarket or follow @USDA_AMS on Twitter and Instagram using hashtag #USDAFarmersMkt. View photos of the market on Flickr. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

PUMPKIN CURRY SOUP

Yields 8 cups

Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, ï¬nely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 lb. fresh sugar pumpkin

3 cups vegetable stock

1 tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp. chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350Â° F.

2. Remove pumpkin stem and slice pumpkin in half using a sharp knife. Remove pumpkin seeds and stringy innards with a spoon. Discard or save seeds to roast later on.

3. Brush pumpkin halves with oil and place face down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.

4. Remove from oven and let cool. Separate pumpkin ï¬esh from skin. PurÃ©e the pumpkin ï¬esh in a blender or food processor. (Process to your preference of a smooth to chunky texture. See photo album for examples.)

5. In a pot, heat onion and garlic over medium heat. Add vegetable stock, purÃ©ed pumpkin, curry powder and chili powder.

6. Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10

minutes.

Note: Each pound of sugar pumpkin should yield 1 cup of pumpkin purÃ©e.

Adapted from Â© My Darling Vegan 2016

THIS WEEK VEGU IS ALL ABOUT PUMPKINS

Three diï¬erent species in the Curburita genus are known as pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata). Pumpkins are typically planted in early summer and harvested in fall. Pumpkins can be stored for several months after harvesting due to their thick outer skin. There are countless diï¬erent varieties of pumpkins grown in the United States ranging in size from 2 pounds to 100 pounds and in an array of colors including orange, yellow, green, and white. One of the most common pumpkin varieties used for cooking and baking is Sugar Pie (also known as pie pumpkins), which has thin skin and sweet ï¬esh making it ideal for eating.

HOW TO PICK

Look at size. Choose pumpkins that feel solid and heavy for their size. Check for blemishes. Pick pumpkins that are unblemished, have consistent color and have the stems attached.

Feel for freshness. Press on the bottom of the pumpkin. If it is ï¬exible or has several soft spots it may indicate that it is not as fresh.

HOW TO PREPARE

To cook a fresh pumpkin, ï¬rst wash and dry the whole pumpkin. Remove the stem and slice the pumpkin in half using a sharp knife. Clean out the inside, removing the seeds and ï¬brous strings. Place the halves on a cookie sheet or tray and bake at 350Âº F for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size. Once cooled, peel oï¬ the skin using a knife and chop the pumpkin into cubes, or purÃ©e the ï¬esh in a blender or food processor. Use cooked pumpkin purÃ©e or cubes in pies, cakes, baked goods, soups, and stews.

HOW TO STORE

Pumpkins require cool and dry conditions for best storage. Optimal temperature is between 50-55Âº F and humidity of 50-70%. If stored properly, certain varieties of pumpkin can last up to two months.

Tip: Store cooked, cubed or purÃ©ed pumpkin for up to one week in the refrigerator.

Advice about freezing. Freezing pumpkin is a great option. To freeze, ï¬rst roast pumpkin in the oven (as outlined on the other side of this handout) and place cooked cubes or purÃ©ed pumpkin into freezer bags. To freeze raw cubes, ï¬rst peel the pumpkin skin and remove seeds and ï¬brous strings. Chop pumpkin into 1-inch cubes and store loosely in freezer bags. Frozen pumpkin can be stored for 9 months to 1 year.

FUN FACTS

â¢Pumpkins originated in Central America and are botanically a fruit.

â¢At the ï¬rst Thanksgiving feast in 1621, the pilgrims did not serve pumpkin pie, rather, they served stewed pumpkin.

â¢Pumpkins are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash, zucchini, watermelon, cucumbers and gourds.

â¢Over 50,000 acres of pumpkins were harvested in the United States in 2014, producing 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins.

â¢China and India are the worldâs top pumpkin producers; U.S. is ranked ï¬fth.

â¢Illinois is the top pumpkin producing state in the U.S. followed by California, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

â¢Pumpkin is an excellent source of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A.

â¢99% of pumpkins grown in the U.S. are sold for decoration. Original public domain image from Flickr

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