By Dave Dahl/Illinois Radio Network
MORTON – When you enjoy your Thanksgiving dessert, take a moment to think about Morton, Ill.
“About eight out of every ten cans of pumpkin sold would be from Libby’s – canned right there in Morton,” says Roz O’Hearn, spokeswoman for parent company Nestle USA.
O’Hearn says the supply should be just enough to meet Thanksgiving needs, but not much more until next August.
“They got a lot of rain early in the season this year,” O’Hearn says. “Some of that rain washed out seed that had been planted. Seeds that had already blossomed – some of the blossoms were damaged.”
Why Illinois is Pumpkin Central could be a chicken-and-egg thing. O’Hearn says the huge 75-year-old plant is near the fields. The fields are near the plant.
Another fun fact: The pumpkin used in processed pumpkin filling is small, light orange, and thick-walled, compared to your jack-o-lantern from a month ago.
