KINGSTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The pigs at The Lands at Hillside Farms in Luzerne County are squealing with excitement because it's time for the annual pumpkin collection
"We don't want them to end up in a landfill. Our animals benefit greatly from pumpkins," said barn manager Sierra Krohnemann.
Their three not-so-little pigs are ready to chow down on your old pumpkins.
"Yes, it's very good for pigs, like I said, chickens as well. Pumpkin is a good food for them. We don't like to give them any table scraps," Krohnemann said.
Feeding your old pumpkins to the pigs is part of Hillside Farms' sustainability efforts.
"Sustainability is one of the things we like to teach here at Hillside, so it's a great way to get the community involved and have something for our animals to eat in the wintertime."
Those delicious pumpkins can even be used as a reward.
"Otis behind me knows how to sit and stand. That's about the only thing he can do for you. Pigs are very intelligent. you can train them to do a lot of things," said Krohnemann.
Mercury, Sunshine, and Otis are some pretty hungry pigs, so the pumpkins that are collected at Hillside Farms last the pigs through about the month of November.
You can start dropping off those unwanted pumpkins right away.
"We have a drop-off center by our office which is in our upper parking lot. Sometimes we'll put a trailer there or a hay wagon. People will leave their pumpkins in there, in bags, carved, not carved, anything you'd like. We'll take care of it from there," Krohnemann said.