Pumpkin Smash
It’s the fourth annual Naperville Park District event that’s always a smashing hit – the Pumpkin Smash.
Families stopped by the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots as kids took a crack at breaking the orange fruit into pieces. And even some parents took a swing.
Composting Pumpkins
The Pumpkin Smash may be a fun way to say goodbye to your jack-o-lanterns, but it is also beneficial to the garden plots.
Recycling company, SCARCE, started the event to help keep pumpkins out of landfills.
“I think we are one of the few that actually composts them right on sight,” said Ron Ory Community Garden Plot manager, Angelique Harshman. “These are our garden plots here at the Naperville Park District. So we’re putting those nutrients and that water back into the soil.”
Before smashing their pumpkins, families are asked to weigh them to see how many pounds they’re able to keep out of the landfills.
Last year, over 5,300 pounds were composted. This year they received almost triple the amount at 14,529 pounds composted, setting a new record.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
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