Pumpkins, Phils trivia, Food Network casting...

Hey, Charlie Browns. Check out today's story on the Great Pumpkins at H.G. Haskell's farm in Chadds Ford, Pa.

NJ photographer Fred Comegys took his usual wonderful photos. That Fred. Damn, he's good. What you DON'T see in this photo is there were at least another 20 great pumpkins off to the left. H.G. was still waiting for even more pumpkins - at least double the amount - when this was shot last week.

(Thanks, H, for giving us so much time on the farm and at the SIW stand.)

We also include recipes for pumpkin mushroom soup (similar to the Back Burner in Hockessin), pumpkin bread and pumpkin cookies.

Can't wait for the upcoming Great Pumpkin Carve.

Also, my Diner's Digest column today goes into the more details on everything else below, but here are the highlights:

- Here's a bit of "hey-did-you-know?" trivia: In the book "Hotel du Pont Story" (Serendipity Press, 1981), Harry V. Ayres writes that the Philadelphia Phillies exercised in the Gold Ballroom during World War II (can you imagine that?). The team had been owned by the Carpenter family of Delaware from 1943 to 1981. Crazy. You'll never go to a wedding or fancy schmancy event there again without thinking about that.

- The Food Network is casting the fifth season of its series "The Next Food Network Star."
Producers are looking for people who are passionate about cooking, and knowledgeable about food, to meet them from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 29 at Embassy Suites Center City Philadelphia, 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia. The open casting call will be on the hotel's 28th floor.

Download an application at www.foodnetwork.com/star and bring it. Callbacks will be held the next day. For more information, e-mail NFNS5phl@gmail.com.

- In Reader Mail, , a reader wondering where to get a good Reuben sandwich, lamented what he thought was the end of Annie's Restaurant on Greenhill Avenue in Wilmington.

But it turns out Annie's has just switched locations. In July, the restaurant moved from Wilmington to 11 Sanders Road in Elsmere. (It's next to the fire hall and the Wawa store.)

Owners are renovating the site and are expected to open shortly. Call 888-1229 for details.

- Hickman's Meat Market in Rehoboth Beach is now selling organic pasture-raised poultry from The Farm in Georgetown. The Farm is one of five certified organic farms in the state.

The Hickman family also is planning a second store in Lewes to open in early spring. The Del. 1 store will be attached to the new Bethany Blues Restaurant that's under construction.