Pumpkins on the Homestead: Cozy October Projects That Use Every Bit

From the kitchen to the chicken yard, here’s how we turn pumpkins into purée, spice, décor, and even compost.

October just wouldn’t feel right without pumpkins. Out here on the farm, they show up everywhere—from the porch to the kitchen to the chicken yard. I love how one crop can bring so much beauty, food, and even soil health when you know how to use it. Around here, we try not to let anything go to waste, so pumpkins get put to work in a few different ways.

Pumpkin Purée for the Pantry

The first thing I do once pumpkins arrive in my kitchen is roast them for purée. It’s simple: slice them in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake until tender. Once cooled, I scrape the flesh into the food processor and portion it into freezer bags. That purée becomes the base for breads, muffins, soups, and my kids’ favorite—pumpkin pancakes on chilly mornings. Having a freezer stocked with homemade purée feels like a little bit of fall stored up for the rest of the year.

Pumpkins on the Homestead: Cozy October Projects That Use Every Bit

Pumpkin Spice the Real Way

Instead of buying pumpkin-flavored everything from the store, I make my own pumpkin spice blends at home. All it takes is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Mixed into the pumpkin purée, it’s the real deal—no artificial syrups, just warm fall flavors straight from the spice cabinet. A spoonful stirs perfectly into coffee or hot milk for a cozy autumn drink, and it makes any baked good taste like October in the South.

Pumpkin Planters on the Porch

I don’t buy much seasonal décor, but pumpkins do double duty. I hollow out a few and plant fall flowers or herbs inside, then set them by the front steps. They look beautiful for a few weeks, and when the pumpkin starts to break down, I just plant the whole thing—pumpkin and all—into the garden bed. The shell becomes compost right in the soil, feeding the roots of whatever I tuck in next. It’s décor that actually gives back.

Treats for the Chickens (and the Soil)

When the season winds down, our flock gets their share of pumpkins too. I crack them open and toss them into the chicken yard, and the hens go crazy pecking at the flesh and seeds. It’s good enrichment for them, and I’ve read that pumpkin seeds may even help keep parasites in check. Whatever scraps they don’t eat get scooped up and tossed into the compost pile, where the pumpkins break down quickly and enrich next year’s garden beds.

Final Thoughts

Pumpkins may be the mascot of October, but on the homestead they’re more than just decoration. From filling our freezer with purée, to warming up our mugs with spice, to feeding chickens and nourishing soil, every pumpkin has a purpose. That’s the beauty of living close to the land—learning how to use what you have, season by season, and letting nothing go to waste.