How To Roast Seeds After A Pumpkin Patch Visit In Wayland

WAYLAND, MA — The holidays, including Halloween, will look very different this year thanks to the coronavirus. However, some quintessential fall activities such as visiting pumpkin patches near Wayland and carving jack-o’-lanterns will stay the same.

In 2020, more people are cooking at home and trying to maximize every penny spent. Here’s a simple way to keep that up: Don’t toss out those pumpkin seeds. Instead, turn them into a delicious snack.

First, pick up a pumpkin from the local pumpkin patch.

• Lookout Farm, 89 Pleasant St. South, Natick. Pumpkins available with other you-pick options.
• Hanson's Farm, 20 Nixon Road, Framingham. Through Nov. 1. Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Dowse Orchards, 90 North Main St., Sherborn. U-pick apples, pumpkins also available. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
• The Pumpkin Farm, 72 Milford St., Medway. Open now. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
• MacArthur Farm, 137 Concord St., Holliston. Pumpkins available at farm stand. Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
• Stowe Farm, 15 Stowe Road, Millbury. Pumpkin picking 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
• Shelburne Farm, 106 West Acton Road, Stow. Pumpkin patch open now. Check website for daily hours.
• Berlin Orchards, 310 Sawyer Hill Road, Berlin. Open now. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekends.
• Ferjulian's Farm, 7 Lewis Street, Hudson. Pumpkins available at farm stand. Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sundays noon to 6 p.m.
• Wojcik's Farm, 65 Milk St., Blackstone. Open now. Fridays, 4 to 9 p.m.; weekends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After you gut the pumpkin for carving, keep the seeds in a bag until you are ready to roast them. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with potassium, packed with fiber and protein, and are the perfect snack to serve your little ghosts and goblins.

Here’s our favorite recipe for baking seeds:

Separate the seeds in a bowl as you clean each pumpkin. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the seeds in cold water and strain. Pat seeds dry with a paper towel. In a bowl, toss the seeds in just enough olive oil to coat.

Spray an edged baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and spread seeds in a single layer. Season seeds with kosher salt to taste. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let cool and enjoy. Seal leftovers in an airtight plastic container.

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

Make Your Jack-O’-Lanterns Last: When you carve that perfect pumpkin, you can plan on it lasting up to 10 days before it starts to show signs of aging. However, if you want to make it last longer, you can mix three teaspoons of bleach with 3 gallons of water and spray the solution throughout, according to Clorox.