10/26/2025
IT'S NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY folks are in a frenzy of pumpkin obsession. We need pumpkin everything! Bars, cookies, coffee, cheesecake, pasta, and oatmeal, pumpkin patches, festivals, bake-offs, and more. Let's not forget jack-o-lantern carving, too!
Pumpkin is native to North America and one of the oldest domesticated plants in the world. Archaeologists have found the oldest domesticated pumpkin seeds in the Oaxaca Highlands of Mexico, dating them to as far back as 7,500 to 5,500 B.C. Native Americans cultivated pumpkins and other types of squash for centuries before European explorers arrived. They were a crucial part of their diet; they ate the flesh and roasted the seeds.
For the colonists, pumpkins became a vital food source, helping them survive their first harsh winters. This historical connection is why pumpkins are so closely associated with Thanksgiving. The tradition of carving Jack-o'-lanterns, however, was brought to America by Irish immigrants, who originally carved turnips and potatoes. They found the native pumpkin to be much larger and easier to carve, solidifying its place as a quintessential symbol of autumn and Halloween. Have you picked up your pumpkin? American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board
