It being mid-week, OK and I decided not to put one of us through the hassle of travelling to the other's place; there is always next weekend :-)
Before we left Ludwigsburg for our hiking holiday (see previous posts), we went to the palace grounds. It was Monday, the 3rd of September - exactly one month ago.
The pumpkin exhibition was in full swing, and OK took many pictures which he has allowed me to show on my blog.
Maybe you remember from previous years that the pumpkin exhibition has always a theme. For instance, in 2014 it was Royalty, last year it was Rome, and in 2016, it was the circus.
This year, it was Woodland - how fitting, since we were travelling to the Bavarian Forest the next day.
Do you remember the sand sculptures I showed you? That exhibition has officially ended some time ago, but the sand is still there. Some of it has been turned into houses and landscapes inhabited by pumpkin people (who I find a bit scary, to be honest). In other cases, the existing sculptures have simply been surrounded by pumpkins.
These sculptures have been left as they were. "Caro" is an instant drink that used to be very popular in Germany. It is a bit like coffee, but made of malt and chicory, and has been produced in Ludwigsburg for decades. Every citizen of Ludwigsburg knows the characteristic smell when the roasting is going on; it is part of my childhood memories. I was surprised to find the drink has its own wikipedia entry-
As you can see, it was a beautiful late summer day, with the pumpkins lending it an autumnal atmosphere. I am always in two minds about this exhibition: It is, after all, mostly edible food that goes to waste. Also, growing so many pumpkins destined not for consumption costs a lot of water, which is even worse considering the extremely dry summer we have had this year. Therefore, I would not be sad if it were decided not to continue it in the future. On the other hand, my home town generates a lof of money from tourism, and many tourists come specifically for the exhibition. Just another one of the many questions we are faced these days.
Those pumpkin creatures are AMAZING! And isn't there someone (anyone!) who could process some of the leftovers to use for food? Even food for farm animals if nothing else? I agree with you that it's an awful waste.
ReplyDeleteThe exhibition runs for a bit more than 2 months. By the time it finishes, I doubt any of the pumpkins are still fit to be eaten. If they can still be turned into food for animals, I hope that is what will be done!
DeleteThis exhibit is incredible! I would think that at the end of the exhibition at least some of the pumpkins could be processed for food.
ReplyDeleteSee my answer to Jennifer's comment, Kathy. If it is done, I don't know about it. Maybe I should write to the manager there and ask about it.
DeleteThis is such an amazing pumpkin display - the most creative I've ever see! That FOX has to be my favorite - I can imagine it being traffic stopper if I had it in my front garden! Also love the squirrel - well just love them all, truly incredible as pumpkins are heavy and I just can't imagine getting them to stay attached to whatever is used.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think people should at least be able to come by when the exhibition ends (when will that be?) and help themselves to a few pumpkins for cooking. I roasted one myself yesterday and will be making a pumpkin and wild mushroom tart for supper today, yummy!
Thanks for sharing so many of OK's beautiful photos Meike. My little stack of pumpkins on the front steps looks so plain after seeing these displays.
Mary X
P.S. I'm planning to work on my closet too this week - I just can't wait for cooler weather, still much too hot here.
The pumpkins are fastened to the wooden figures and strawbales using plastic cable binders. I've seen it being done before the start of the exhibition.
DeleteAfter more than 2 months of being exposed to the weather, I doubt the pumpkins will still be edible for humans. If they are, I hope the exhibition organisers think of something to avoid too much waste.
I love pumpkin as a food! OK's mother made a most delicious creamy soup from butternut squash a while ago, using gorgonzola with it.
You are so creative when it comes to decorating in or outside your house, Mary - nothing you set up has ever looked plain!
PS: It's all done now; took me less than half an hour to sort things out and a bit more than an hour to iron the winter clothes, knit dresses, skirts and so on.
What a wonderful, seasonal display!! Amazing! I, of course, love the bugling elk. I bet the birds and critters love it too!
ReplyDeleteThey have been doing this every year for... I don't know, 15 years maybe, and it attracts many visitors. I would not pay an extra admission fee to see it, but as I have my seasonal ticket for the entire park anyway, I have a look every year, too.
DeleteThe elk is supposed to be a stag ;-) I like him, too, as he seems to be smiling.
So much fun! So creative! I especially love the squirrel and the snail and, and, and.........I love all the animals!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a wonderful holiday.
It was a relaxing day yesterday, Kristi, thank you. I did all the things I had meant to do without it feeling too busy a day.
DeleteThe snail is great, isn't it! As for the squirrel, I find its hands a little scary and the look of its eyes slightly aggressive; OK didn't see that and so I think it is just me!
You make a good point about pumpkins and water at the end. Good question. However, I do like the pumpkin craziness and of course my favourite pumpkin picture is of the giant fox - Groß Friederich! I wouldn't want to meet a fox that was that size when walking home from the local pub!
ReplyDeleteI would be seriously worried if a fox made of pumpkins walked along the street, no matter its size. But of course the fox was my favourite of the exhibition, too. Although I loked the spider as well, and the ants looked also great.
DeleteI wanted to look at your Mums Etsy shop again, but when I try to I get something called HooToo that wants me to sign in and which my computer tells me is a compromised log in. I don't think that is what you want.
ReplyDeleteThat is very odd - I have never heard of HooToo! Thank you for telling me about this, I shall look into it tomorrow.
DeleteIt should work now, Kristi. (It does for me.) Don't know what went wrong there - it definitely worked alright when I changed the picture yesterday morning.
DeleteYou did fix it and I ordered two pair of socks and just received an email that they are already shipped....but that HooToo was quite strange.
DeleteYes, my Mum already told me, she is so pleased! Thank you so much for being her most loyal customer.
DeleteThat HooToo was truly strange.
Impressive - but at the same time, I think some of those animal sculptures might give me nightmares! (especially the ones with many legs...) ;)
ReplyDeleteAs long as they just stand there, it's alright - but I would definitely not want to see them moving about ;-)
DeleteI'm just commenting on board the MV Loch Seaforth leaving the Island. I'm always fascinated by the Pumpkin Festival. You mentioned your Mum's butternut squash soup having Gorgonzola in it. I make a lot of kumera (sweet potato) and butternut squash soup and often add some bite using chorizo or similar but the idea of a blue cheese appeals and I shall try that. Oddly I've never heard of Caro either in the UK or New Zealand.
ReplyDeleteHave a good journey, Graham!
DeleteThe soup was OK's Mum's, not my Mum's. I imagine chorizo makes a nice addition, and would like to know how you liked your soup with blue cheese.
Caro may go under a different name in other countries, and was probably never been as popular as it was here.
The Pumpkin Festival! You know I love it! Was the fox your favorite one? I understand your feelings about food going to waste but it also reminded me of this- I remember reading that when one makes pumpkin pie here, it is better to use the canned pumpkin rather than the fresh pumpkin! Don't ask me, you know I have to bake gluten free, so I don't make pumpkin pies.
ReplyDeleteThe fox, the spider and the ants were my favourites this year :-)
DeleteI've said it before and still stick to it: I would not mind if the festival was stopped, as I don't think the beautiful palace grounds "need" it to be attractive, but as I have a season's ticket anyway and do not pay extra admission, I have a look every year and post about it. Also, it brings tourism (and money) to my town, and that is a Good Thing :-)
Hiya! New follower here. :) Your Kurbis-Kunst pics really take me back. I was a study abroad student in Tü many moons ago. I remember taking the train up to Ludwigsburg to visit the grounds of the Residenz often. I really dug the pumpkin structures out on display this time of year. They were always so creative and well-rendered.
ReplyDeleteHi Bea, and welcome to my blog! :-)
DeleteNice to know my post brought back good memories. I'll pop over and have a look at your blog in a bit.
I sure enjoyed the Pumpkins all of them. How creative can one be. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI believe I have you on my list. Please come to my blog. I like to have new friends.
Hello Carol, thank you for popping over! I will make my return visit in a bit.
DeleteMost ingenious, all those pumpkin sculptures! I would have thought generally pumpkins were too large to sculpt with but I suppose if they do them on a large enough scale... I can't help hoping they make pumpkin soup afterwards, for the homeless, or to sell to raise money for the town - and don't just waste them!!!
ReplyDeleteThe sculptures are not made of pumpkins to the core. Underneath the outer layer of pumpkins is a wooden dummy which the pumpkins are fastened to. Otherwise it would not be stable, I think.
DeleteI really should investigate what happens to them after the Exhibition.
As it's Halloween, I wondered if you ever found out about the fate of the pumpkins?
ReplyDeleteYou mention plastic cable ties, so, as long as they don't puncture the pumpkin, they will remain fine to eat. In fact they may be better sitting in the sun as it hardens the skin ready for winter storage.
I have grown butternut squashes and Blue Prince pumpkins that have lasted a good nine months.
Am I right in thinking that your celebration is more a harvest/Autumn marking than the awful American Halloween?
Hello No Roots, and welcome to my blog - I believe this is your first comment here.
DeleteI didn't know pumpkins can be stored for so long, thank you! No, I have not yet found out what happens after the exhibition, which ends this weekend (Nov. 4th).
Halloween is definitely not an original tradition over here, but has of course been fully embraced by supermarkets and shops, promoting their seasonal products to an ever-growing consumer base. Erntedank (Thanksgiving) is a religious festival limited to only one Sunday in the church calendar, and that was some time in September.