Carving Jack-O’-Lanterns From Diamond Bar Pumpkin Field: Best Tip

DIAMOND BAR, CA — Now that you’ve scoured the pumpkin patches and fields around Diamond Bar and Walnut, and you’ve picked the best pumpkin, it’s time to turn to a treasured American fall tradition: carving a jack-o’-lantern.

Varying styles have been used, and pumpkin carving ideas seem to become more creative every fall in a quest for the best jack-o’-lantern on the block.

A candy-coated pumpkin, pumpkin flower vase and pumpkin candy dispenser are among the more than 50 cool pumpkin carvings highlighted in a GoodHousekeeping.com report ahead of the pumpkin carving season. The list includes some scary pumpkin carving ideas, too, such as the “sweet scarecrow pumpkin” and “peekaboo pumpkin.”

A number of approaches to the post-pumpkin patch activity in Diamond Bar and Walnut are shown on YouTube, including one from Warren Nash that shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

Also On Patch: Diamond Bar-Walnut Pumpkin Patch Farm Guide 2021

Here's a guide to your pumpkin carving project in 2021.

Materials

Pumpkin carving kits will go a long way in helping you achieve what you want. They typically include saws, a scooper, a drill and multiple patterns.

If you're looking for the items individually around the house, here's what you could use:

• Pumpkin. Unless you have a pumpkin growing operation in the backyard, you'll need to pick out one you like from your local pumpkin patch or a store. Make sure it looks sturdy and clean. Remember, this is the pumpkin that will be front and center on the porch for the Halloween season.
• Curved boning knife, or serrated knife from the kitchen.
• Ice cream scooper or scraper
• Paper
• Pencil or pen
• Candle or battery-operated light
• Lighter

Steps

• Cut it: If cutting from the top of the pumpkin, make sure to do it on an inward angle so the top won't drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on. Michael Natiello, creative director for The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze, said it's better to cut the pumpkin from the bottom, as shown in a series of pumpkin carving tips from Good Housekeeping. That helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
• Gut it: Use the ice cream scoop, or your hands, to remove all the seeds and other debris from inside the pumpkin. Do a thorough cleaning and make sure nothing is left sticking to the sides.
• Trace it: Draw your design on a piece of paper before putting it on the pumpkin itself. That way, it is easier to trace the design onto the pumpkin.
• Make the cuts: Cut out the design. Natiello said to use a fork or pencil to poke holes around the lines. When cutting, get the big pieces of pumpkin out first and clean up the edges later.
• Light it: Light the pumpkin with a battery-operated light or candle in a holder, place it in the pumpkin, then admire your work.