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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The diversity of Texas agriculture is one of the |
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strengths of our economy, and over the years, the pumpkin has become |
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an important crop in the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, A variety of squash that is native to North America, |
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the pumpkin can vary in size from one pound to over a thousand; |
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while pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, they are sometimes |
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also dark green, white, red, or gray; they are remarkable for their |
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durability, for they can be grown quickly and then stored for as |
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long as six months; pumpkins are capable of being cultivated on |
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every continent on earth except Antarctica; and |
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WHEREAS, With its distinctive shape and lightly ribbed |
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surface, the pumpkin is especially associated with two holidays, |
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Halloween, when carved jack-o'-lanterns light up the front porches |
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of houses across America, and Thanksgiving, when no family feast is |
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complete without a slice of pumpkin pie; each year, 80 percent of |
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pumpkin sales occur in October; and |
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WHEREAS, Texans have long made great use of the pumpkin; |
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before refrigeration, ranchers relied on the hardy pumpkin to feed |
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their livestock during the winter months; once considered a cure |
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for freckles and snakebite, the pumpkin is now valued by |
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health-conscious Texans as a good source of vitamin A, potassium, |
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and fiber; in addition, Texas has become the fourth leading state in |
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commercial pumpkin production, growing between 15 and 20 million of |
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them annually, mostly in West Texas; pumpkins generate |
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approximately $10 million for the Texas economy every year; and |
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WHEREAS, During a time when a majority of Texans are living in |
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cities, the pumpkin has begun to represent more than just |
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trick-or-treat or a favorite type of pie, and such distinctive |
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varieties of pumpkin as the Fairytale, the Caspar, and the Atlantic |
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Giant have come to be used by families to decorate their homes, |
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serving as welcome reminders of the Lone Star State's traditional |
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rural heritage; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate the pumpkin as the official State Squash of Texas. |
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