Early Pumpkin Ripening
Ideally, pumpkins should be harvested when fully mature, with a deep orange color and hardened rind. However, as long as pumpkins have started to turn color, they will ripen off the vine if held under the proper conditions. While not ideal, this may be preferable to leaving them in the field if conditions are not favorable.
If necessary, pumpkins can be ripened in a well-ventilated barn or greenhouse. The best temperatures for ripening are 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 80-85%. Night temperatures should not drop below the sixties. Even if pumpkins are ripe, a period of curing can improve storage life. The curing period should be about 10 days. During this process, the fruit skin hardens, wounds heal and immature fruit ripens all of which prolongs the storage life. Pumpkins should be stored in a cool, dry place. Ideal temperatures are between 50 F and 60 F and relative humidity of 50 - 70%. Higher humidity allows condensation on the fruit with risk of disease, and lower humidity can cause dehydration. Higher temperatures increase respiration and can cause weight loss. Temperatures lower than 50 F cause chilling injury. In a greenhouse, temperature can be managed with ventilation on sunny days. Unless it is quite cool, heat is not likely to be needed if the house is closed up at night.
Often it is not feasible to harvest pumpkins early and store them until they can be marketed, and so they must be stored in the field. If vines and fruit are healthy, storage in the field can be successful for a few weeks. If the vines die back, damage to the fruit from sun, disease and insects is more likely. In any case, it is important to scout for insects feeding on the fruit and handles, which may include squash bug nymphs or adults, or striped cucumber beetle. Control them if damage is evident. In fields that have a history of Phytophthora blight, Fusarium fruit rot, or black rot, field storage may increase the incidence of these problems, particularly if we have a period of wet weather or a major storm while fruit is sitting in the field. This has been one of the causes of significant losses in recent years, and one reason that we recommend bringing fruit in as soon as it is mature.
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Upcoming Events
Cover Crop Field Meeting
October 21, 2025 : Cover Crop Field Meeting
Willsboro, NY
Thinking about upping your farm's cover cropping game? New technology for seeding and crop tracking, research-driven recommendations for high tunnel cover cropping, cold tolerant varieties for North Country climates, and farmer expertise will be shared at this field event.
New York State Agritourism Conference
November 10 - November 11, 2025 : New York State Agritourism Conference
Saratoga Springs, NY
The first-ever New York State Agritourism Conference, hosted by the CCE Agritourism Program Work Team, is designed to support farms in growing successful visitor experiences. This statewide gathering will feature expert-led sessions, peer networking, and practical tools to help farms expand direct sales, education, hospitality, and entertainment offerings.
Date:
- November 10: A full day of educational sessions targeted at beginning or experienced agritourism operators.
- November 11: A half-day, interactive networking session with fellow attendees.
ASL 104sp Seleccion y organizacion del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) taught in Spanish
November 12, 2025 : ASL 104sp Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team) in Spanish
ASL104-SP: Selección y organización del personal (Staffing and Organizing Your Team - impartido en español) ¡Inscripciones abiertas!
En este curso identificamos cómo escribir descripciones de puestos disponibles en el trabajo para atraer a los mejores candidatos. Aprenderá a encontrar empleados con un perfil deseado, cómo entrevistar y seleccionar a las personas adecuadas. Descubrirá cómo completar la documentación de nuevos empleados, la autorización de empleo y la contratación de personal (on-boarding): es decir, cómo efectivamente incorporar nuevos empleados al rancho en una manera exitosa y productiva.
Los temas incluyen:
- Convertirse en un lugar de trabajar preferido
- Planear cuántos y qué trabajadores se necesitan
- Diseñar descripciones de trabajos para un mejor reclutamiento
- Cómo evitar favoritismos y discriminación
- Cómo buscar y entrevistar los nuevos trabajadores
- Cómo decidir a quién contratar
- Y cómo dar una buena bienvenida al nuevo trabajador
Inicio del curso: miércoles, 12 de noviembre de 2025
Discusiones en vivo por Zoom: Cada martes 18 de noviembre - 23 de diciembre, de 1:00 a 2:00 p.m. (hora del Este)