A great pumpkin tradition

SUN CITY – The pumpkin is a rather grotesque-looking type of squash, so much so that it inspired a centuries’-old tradition of carving spooky illuminated faces into the rough orange hide. Today, some dedicated pumpkin growers hold contests to see who can grow the largest of these bumpy behemoths – some weighing over a ton.

If Sun City resident Joe Nitti were to grow one of those super pumpkins, he would likely see it as a large canvas to work with.

Nitti, who just turned 82 last week, has been decorating a pumpkin the same way since he was 10 years old – when he was first introduced to it by family friend Tom Naples.

“We had known his family for a long time, probably since I was about 10. I first met him when he was trying to court my sister, and it was around that time where he started teaching me how to do these pumpkins,” Nitti said.

By the time he turned 16, Nitti started working for Tom’s family business, the Tom Naples Fruit Stand (which was located in Melrose Park).

“In October, around the time the pumpkins came out, they would always decorate them,” he said. “We’d paint them in different colors and use an assortment of vegetables and then put them out for sale.”

Diane Naples, niece of Nitti and Tom, said the family “just started” creating these pumpkins with little rhyme or reason other than its seasonal significance.

“My dad [James] was very creative and was always trying to figure out ways to bring business to the stand. He decided that this would be a good idea, and he just did it. It was a big thing for the stand, but it wasn’t just something they did because it was October. It was very much part of the ‘theme’ for the stand in October. They’d wear costumes and decorate it more in the Halloween spirit,” Diane said.

Nitti recalled being particularly attracted to decoration; he had a love of art from his early childhood years.

He continued to work at the fruit stand until he was 20, at which point he left to continue his studies. He worked in the architectural profession for the next 52 years before the “newer technology wiped me out.”

For the past 18 years, he’s been in the custom framing industry, and it’s been a “great ride so far.”

However, every year since leaving the stand, Nitti decorates at least one pumpkin every October.

“I never stopped, even when I moved to California. Everyone’s used to looking at a carved pumpkin, but this is something a little different,” Nitti said.

While most pumpkins are carved, Nitti and the Naples family never once took knife to gourd. Instead, the entire exterior of the pumpkin is painted (Joe prefers red, black, or white – his favorite colors) and then decorated with different vegetables – also painted – which serve as the various body parts.

For Joe, he uses radishes for the eyes, a gourd as the nose, and parsnips for the mouth. “It’s pretty much the same thing you saw if you ever visited the Naples’ fruit stand,” he said, adding that while the Naples family would use acorn squash as the ears, he’s adapted the “recipe” and substituted smaller pumpkins. “It’s difficult for me to find these acorn squashes.”

Once all items are painted and have dried, Nitti assembles the pumpkin using finishing nails and arranges the final display outside his house.

“I get pleasure from doing it. It’s a great way to remember the ritual we’d do every October at the stand,” Nitti said.

He no longer sells the pumpkin, but said he will make a pumpkin for someone who asks him.

Overall, the full assembly costs Nitti around $50 and a handful of hours over a two-day period.

When asked if he ever receives special attention for the pumpkins, Nitti simply said this “isn’t something I do because I want people to comment on it,” adding if someone does, he likes to tell them the back-story.

“I haven’t heard anyone come up and comment, but if they have over the years, I’ve probably forgotten about it. It only happens once a year, and I’m sure people don’t ask about it, because they’ve seen it before or will see it at some point, but I’m sure everyone’s seen it at least once,” Nitti said.

While Halloween isn’t his favorite holiday (Christmas claims that honor due to the “increased family time”), Nitti will be found every October, strapping on his pumpkin-making attire and continuing to do what he loves.

“I’ll do it again,” he said.

“[It’s amazing to see him continually do this] because it brings back a lot of memories,” Naples said. “My uncle started this so many years ago, and seeing my uncle Joe do this is bringing some of that passion back that our family had from years ago.”

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