Pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns are everywhere this time of year. But once Halloween and fall celebrations end, the real fright begins: Most of the billion-plus pounds of pumpkins grown in the U.S. are tossed in the trash, causing harm to the environment.
Experts say decomposing pumpkins and other food waste in landfills turn into methane, a greenhouse gas that's a major contributor to climate change.
Luckily, there are simple ways to discard pumpkins and gourds that are better for the environment, while also helping people and animals.
Below are some local organizations, farmers markets and composte sites that accept pumpkins. If those options are too boring, some farms will let you smash and destroy your pumpkins into smithereens.
Pumpkins for the People
This D.C. organization takes whole, unblemished pumpkins that haven't been decorated and brings them to other organizations that feed communities in need. The group also accepts jack-o'-lanterns for composting as long as they don't have candles, paint or decorations.
Be sure to cut compostable pumpkins into pieces before dropping them off at any of these locations.
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Pumpkins For Pigs
The Pumpkins For Pigs Foundation is a nonprofit in Loudoun County, Virginia, that helps people find farms, animal sanctuaries and rescues in their area that can take pumpkins, gourds and other items for feed or compost.
"Reducing food waste one pumpkin at a time is not just a slogan. We are actively working in communities across North America to support the reduction of food waste by 50% by 2030," PFP says on its website.
Since 2017, the organization has grown from 10 participating farms in Virginia to 600 donation sites in the U.S. and Canada.
Pumpkins For Pigs says it's helped keep 800 tons of food waste out of landfills.
Aside from the environmental benefits, the donated pumpkins provide nutrition and enrichment to animals while reducing costs for the farms and sanctuaries that participate.
How to donate to Pumpkins For Pigs:
- Find a nearby donation site on PFP's website
- Pick a day to donate -- check to see if you have to call ahead
- Bring pumpkins and produce that are free of mold and decorations that would harm animals. Many farms allow you to drop off your pumpkins at their gates or driveways.
Where to composte pumpkins in the D.C. area
District residents can bring their pumpkins and food waste to farmers markets throughout the city free of charge.
Ward 1:
- Columbia Heights Farmers Market: 14th and Kenyon Streets NW; open year-round on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market: 3200 Mt. Pleasant Street NW; open year-round on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ward 2:
- DuPont Circle Farmers Market: 1500 20th Street NW; open year-round on Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- George Washington University – Kogan Plaza: 2121 H St NW; accessible 24/7 with the MetroKey app
Ward 3
- University of District of Columbia Farmers Market: 4340 Connecticut Avenue NW; open seasonally on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Palisades Farmers Market: 48th Place NW & MacArthur Blvd NW; open year-round on Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Cleveland Park Farmers Market: 3426 Connecticut Avenue NW; open seasonally on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ward 4
- Uptown Farmers Market: 14th and Kennedy Streets NW; open seasonally on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ward 5
- Monroe Street Market: 716 Monroe Street NE; open seasonally on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ward 6
- Eastern Market: in front of Rumsey Pool, 635 North Carolina Avenue SE; open year-round on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- SW Farmers Market: 425 M Street SW; open year-round on Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ward 7
- First Baptist Church of Deanwood - Outreach Center: 4408 Sheriff Road NE; open year-round on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Ward 8
- Sycamore & Oak: 1110 Oak Drive SE; open year-round on Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Virginia composte locations:
Residents can drop off pumpkins and food waste free of charge at the following markets:
- Old Town Farmers' Market: Market Square, 301 King Street; Saturdays 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Del Ray Farmers' Market: Corner of East Oxford & Mount Vernon Avenues; Saturdays 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
- Four Mile Run Farmers' Market: 4109 Mount Vernon Avenue; Sundays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.; open April 7 through Dec. 8
- West End Farmers' Market: 4800 Brenman Park Drive; Sundays 8.30 a.m. - 1 p.m.; open April 7 through Dec. 31
- Old Town North Farmers' Market: 901 North Royal Street, Sundays 9a.m. - 1 p.m.
- The Market at Southern Towers: 4901 Seminary Road; Saturdays 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Arlington County is doing a pilot program to collect food scraps and food-soiled paper from bins outside select multi-family properties. Go here for more information.
Dispose of pumpkins, jack-o'-lanterns, gourds, painted pumpkins and other decomposable food décor at the City of Fairfax Composting Center at 10455 Armstrong Street. Make sure to remove any inorganic items that cannot be composted such as candles, foil, lights, or plastic decorations.
The county accepts food scraps at the I-95 Landfill Complex at 9850 Furnace Road in Lorton and the I-66 Transfer Station at 4618 West Ox Road in Fairfax.
Residents can also bring their food scraps to all of the county's farmers markets. Go here for information on each market's hours and location.
The county accepts pumpkins and other food waste at part of a pilot program at the Loudoun County Landfill Recycling Center located at 21101 Evergreen Mills Road in Leesburg. The hours are Monday - Saturday 8: a.m. – 4 p.m.
Maryland composte locations:
- Bethesda Central Farm Market, 7600 Arlington Road, Bethesda, MD 20814
- Olney Farmers and Artists Market, 2801 Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832
- FreshFarm Downtown Silver Spring, 1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD 20910
People who receive the county's trash and recycling services can also participate in the PGC Composts program. Residents must put their pumpkins on the curb by 6 a.m. on Mondays for pickup. Pumpkins, dried corn, hay and straw go in paper lawn/leaf bags or the 32-gallon green cart the county provides. Pumpkins must be free of inorganic materials like candles, wax, artificial lighting and loose decorations.
Residents can also drop off pumpkins and other yard trim at the Brown Station Road Public Container Pad and Recycling Area at 3501 Brown Station Road. It's open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where to smash your pumpkins
Great Country Farms Pumpkin Chunkin': 34355 Snickersville Turnpike, Bluemont, VA 20135; Saturday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 3.
"Bring your leftover jack-o-lantern to our smashin’ stations and let it fly! The Silo Drop and the Zip Wire Sploosh let you do the smashin’ yourself or bring your pumpkin to the Pumpkin Drop Zone and add it to our upside down “fireworks display” as the pumpkins are dropped from a 40ft lift," Great Country Farms says on its website.
Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for children.
Cox Farms Pumpkin Madness: 15621 Braddock Rd, Centreville, VA 20120
Two days of pumpkin destruction on Saturday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 3. Tickets are $25 for anyone 2 years and older.
