Illinois Crowned King of Pumpkins, Says Science

We all have our own opinions about everything, but when it comes to pumpkins, there really is no argument necessary. Illinois is officially the king of pumpkins and science proves it's a fact.

I am certainly not an expert in pretty much anything, but I have either lived in or near or worked in Illinois a vast majority of my life. You could say that I've come to know Illinois quite intimately over the decades, but I learned something about the state today that I have never heard before. No state in America produces more pumpkins than Illinois according to Reader's Digest and there's not even a close second. They say that more than half of America's pumpkins originate in Illinois. The "science" they used to decide this comes directly from data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. Like I said, science.

Why does Illinois have so many dang pumpkins?

The USDA says its' because Illinois has "ideal climate, rich soil, and large-scale processing contracts". That equals a ton of pumpkins that begin their life in Illinois. That's another reason why Illinois is known as the king of pumpkin pie production because (this just in), you don't get pumpkin pie without...(*drum roll*)...pumpkins.