Nestled in the lush and green Willamette Valley of Oregon, a generational farm is hard at work growing, harvesting, and processing pumpkins and pumpkin seeds. The farm has been growing seed pumpkins for decades, but after learning about the health benefits of pumpkin seed oil, they recently decided to expand their offerings to include pumpkin oil. Not only did this diversify their offerings, but it also helped to improve their waste stream.
Pumpkin seed oil is currently seeing a renaissance of interest due to its abundant health benefits and unique nutritional composition. Pumpkin seeds contain abundant nutrients, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and phytosterols (a cardio-vascular supportive compound found in many nuts and seeds). In fact, the health benefits of the oil are what first drew our farm partner, Kalli, to this type of pumpkin product, even after generations of growing and selling the seeds themselves.
In addition to its internal uses, it is also used topically to moisturize the skin and help with occasional blemishes. Natural hair care enthusiasts also turn to pumpkin seed oil to promote healthy hair growth, help nourish the scalp, reduce breakage, and support overall hair vitality.
Despite its rich green color and thick texture, pumpkin seed oil is very mild in flavor. It makes exceptional salad dressings and sauces, but many even take it directly for its health benefits.
One of the greatest benefits of this offering this local oil is that there is less waste being generated, and the carbon footprint of this product is very low. Not only is this partner able to use seeds that would otherwise not make it to market because of cosmetic imperfections, but the entire fruit, from the flesh to the seeds, is used. The pumpkin flesh is used for organic animal feed, the seed oils are pressed out for the culinary oil, and the seed pulp is upcycled to become pumpkin meal, commonly used as plant-based protein in smoothie mixes.
For us, having access to fresh-pressed, vibrant organic pumpkin seed oil from just miles down the road makes a lot of difference in the quality and sustainability of this product. We are delighted to support this operation and to have a top-shelf quality oil to supply to your home pantries and wellness cabinets.