Halloween may be over but there's plenty of treats left to be had with those old pumpkins.
After removing any candles, wax and decorations, Jack/Jacklyn can be put to good use in the kitchen and garden.
The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) suggests cutting pumpkins into pieces and covering up with leaves in your backyard compost bin.
"If you receive food scraps collection, Jack will make a good addition to it."
City of Vernon residents have compost collection, but are reminded to be careful about how much weight you’re placing in your cart as overfilled or overweight carts cannot be collected.
You can also dig a hole in your garden, smash the pumpkin up and cover it with soil and a layer of leaves to avoid attracting pests.
"If your pumpkin is still fresh and free of mould or soft spots, roast and puree it for a variety of recipes," the RDNO suggests.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are also a healthy snack.
If cooking or composting aren't an option, farm animals love pumpkins. Check with farmers to see if their animals would like to snack on Jack.
With fall in full swing, the city of Vernon also offers tips and reminders to help residents manage their organics carts to ensure carts can be completely emptied during collection.
"Did you know that overfilling your organics cart or adding too much weight can cause material to get stuck or fall out of the cart when tipping?" the city said. "This can lead to only partial collection and a whole lot of disappointment. Help us help you by following these easy guidelines:
- Layer kitchen organics with yard waste (such as leaves) and soiled paper or newspaper.
- Keep materials loose in the cart.
- Avoid overfilling the cart (the lid must close).
- Avoid pushing down or compacting materials in the cart.
- Avoid placing large amounts of wet leaves and yard waste in the cart. This can become heavy and compacted very quickly.
- Place carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. Please do not place carts the night before, as this can attract wildlife.
- Ensure carts placed at the curb are one metre (an arm’s length) away from all other objects.
- Ensure all materials in your organics cart are compostable.
- Rocks, soil, plastic bags, animal waste, and branches that are more than 0.5” in diameter cannot be collected.
Tips for managing additional organic waste:
Weight restrictions for Vernon’s curbside waste collection carts are as follows:
- 120L cart: 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 240L cart: 75 kg (165 lbs)
If you have more material than can fit in your organics cart:
- Consider storing the additional material until your next collection day.
- Consider taking larger amounts of yard waste to the Greater Vernon Diversion and Disposal Facility, where residential yard and garden waste can be disposed of free of charge.
For more information on Vernon’s curbside organics collection program and a list of accepted compostable materials, visit www.vernon.ca/organics.
"The city would like to thank residents for their participation in the program and the steps they’ve taken to help extend the lifespan of our landfill, create a reusable product, and reduce our impact on the environment."
