The fruit often are placed in long windrows, forming long ribbons of orange across country fields. Before shipping, pumpkins are removed from vines with loppers, leaving 1 to 2 inches of stem attached. Longer stems can break during transport, leaving an entry point for bacterial soft rot disease. Obviously, a 25-pound fruit wouldn't be appropriate for the windowsill. The fruit should be of uniform color and shape with a relatively smooth surface for carving.
Pumpkins come in a range of shapes and sizes.