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Gardeners can add pumpkins to the compost pile. Slice the pumpkin into smaller pieces, scatter and bury them into the pile. And don't worry if the pumpkin has already started getting moldy — those microorganisms aid the composting process.
Some community gardens accept pumpkins and other food scraps to add to their compost piles.
Or consider that pumpkin as a meal for a host of animals at a local farm, zoo or sanctuary. The group Pumpkins for Pigs has an interactive U.S. map of places that accept donations of uncarved, undecorated pumpkins.
Homeowners also may consider feeding the wildlife that hang out in their neighborhoods, especially when those old pumpkins are offered with other fruit. Salvaged pumpkin seeds are a tasty treat for a wide variety of birds such as cardinals, sparrows, finches and chickadees, including when mixed with other seeds such as sunflowers.
(News4)