Saturday Oct 25, 2008
From The Alpena News

Bootiful Pumpkins

Jessica and Jamie Hatch of 625 S. First, Alpena, have got pumpkin carving down to a science.  With an industrial strength pumpkin gutting tool, they can hollow out their favorite fall vegetable in five minutes flat.  The tool, which attaches to a drill, is handy to have around since the couple currently carves about 50 pumpkins each Halloween to decorate the exterior of their home.

“We’ve been doing this for six years, as long as Jamie and I have been married,” said Jessica Hatch. “We started out with 13 pumpkins, since that’s kind of a creepy number.  Now we’re up to about 50 each year.”

When it comes to carving, the couple doesn’t just cut out a few jagged circles and triangles for a mouth, nose and eyes.  Instead, they tend toward the more elaborate by subscribing to an online Web site (zombiepumpkins.com) where they acquire most of their patterns.

Among Hatch’s favorite patters are Nightmare Before Christmas scenes.  Particularly popular last year with trick or treaters visiting their house was Pirates of the Caribbean, the year before it was Chucky.  Batman and the Joker seem to draw positive attention from viewers as well.

“We like to try and stay current with what’s popular so people recognize them,” Hatch said of the patterns they use.  “We’ll be doing E.T. new this year.”

With so many pumpkins to carve by a specific deadline, the couple can’t wait until the last minute.  They usually don’t’ start the carving process anymore then six or seven days before the actual holiday so that the pumpkins stay fresh.

The two buy their pumpkins in mass from Ervin Standen of 7495 Cousineau Road, who they met several years ago at the Alpena Farmer’s Market.  After the bulk purchase is made, they take the whole batch down to their basement where they spray them with a moisture of bleach and water, wrap them in plastic wrap, cover them with a blanket, and keep them in the dark as much as possible.

In anticipation of this Halloween, they plan Sunday to cut the tops off the pumpkins and hallow them all out.  Every evening next week, after both are finished with work, they will be gathering with a few willing friends and family members to do the carving.

According to Hatch, they usually do this by placing dotted patterns over the pumpkins and pricking the holes into the rind. Then comes the actual cutting with the use of various commercially sold blades and tools.

“It has become an art for us and we’re slowly becoming better and better,” Hatch said. “Doing the dot pattern with a little poker takes so long.  This year we’re going to try tracing paper to transfer the pattern onto the pumpkin.”

How long each individual pumpkin takes depends upon how complicated the pattern is.  A fairly simple pattern such as Mickey Mouse requires about 10 to 15 minutes of carving for the Hatches, while a more intricate design with lots of sharp lines and curves can take as much as 45 minutes to complete.

“To get the detail you’re looking for it takes awhile,” Hatch said.

Once the carving is done, the pumpkins will stay in the basement until the big night arrives.  Hatch has learned over time that if the pumpkins start to dry out, they can be rehydrated by soaking them in a bath of water for about 30 minutes.

Along with the pumpkins, the couple also makes tombstones that they use as decoration in the yard.  Last year they estimate between 250 – 300 trick or treaters and their parents enjoyed their display. 

Four years ago, they fell pretty to a malicious incident when they decided to go indoors for a short time only to discover that four kids had come by their house and smashed all of their pumpkins.

“It was heart-breaking, and pretty devastating,” Hatch said.

For a while, she questioned whether they wanted to go to all the trouble again, but whenever she sees and remembers the smiles lighting up on the faces of small children, she knows it is still worth her while, she said.

As Hatch and her husband have continued their tradition, word of their special interest and skill has spread and they have been invited to participate in several community events, including Fall Harvest Day and two recent Halloween activities at the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan.

That’s okay with Hatch, who likes the idea of community service and is always open to sharing her pumpkin carving with others.

Since starting their Halloween tradition, Hatch estimates that they have carved more then 200 pumpkins.  She has taken photos of all of them, with many available for viewing at her own Web site, PumpkinPersonalities.com.