Introducing Spencer
Hi, my name is Spencer and I’m in Research and Development at Dakota Products, the folks who invented the Pumpkin Gutter. I was very excited when they asked me to write this blog to tell about what its like to be a pumpkin during the off season.
I thought I should start with a little bit of background information about myself. Here is the place where I grew up. It is a rather small place, but carefully weeded and watered. 
I always knew that I was special and destined for great things.
I was a bit green when I started out, fresh out of the garden. An early fall freeze cut short my childhood. However, I quickly took to my new life indoors and in no time at all matured into my adult coloring. Now I was ready to be a fully productive member of the Pumpkin Gutter team.
What We Do
So, what do we do here at Dakota Products? Well, some of my colleagues went into marketing, posing for various photos and videos that appeared in our blog and on Facebook. There is a good chance that you have seen their work. Others of us, like me, followed the R&D track. This is a very exciting area. 
This fall, some of us were busy testing new carving tools and techniques while others tried new lighting systems. Things get pretty crazy around here in September and October. Here’s a photo of me with my best friend, Nic. He’s a really sharp guy and a hard worker. I can’t believe how quickly he gets things done. He’s been a great role model for me.
But don’t think that it is all work. We do take some time for fun as well. Here is a photo of me with a bunch of my friends settling in to watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown,” a favorite. Olaf brought the popcorn. I’m the one on the far left.
The Off Season
Now that the busy season is over, we have been doing all sorts of things to help out around the place as well as continue to take time for fun. For example, today we are very excited to watch the Super Bowl. 
As you can see from this photo, we are rather divided about what team we are supporting. We like to watch the ads and see how many of them feature gourds. So far, there are always more cats, dogs and horses, but we still hold out hope to see one of our kin in a starring role.
In my next blog, I will share some more about some of the activities that I enjoy in the off season. Until then, stay warm and keep lots of good friends close by.
