my son lives with me and he has taken over the vegetable garden for me. He is growing pumpkins now for the past couple of years. I bake mine in the ovenon low 200* for several hours (like 3 or 4) you can tell when they are done they kindof fall into themselves. and turn darker color. be sure to have them on a cookie sheet for the liquid. I puree them and freeze the ones he doesn't carve. Yummy