Photo by dullshick.

Instead of letting Halloween pumpkins rot on the porch as squirrels make meals of your handiwork (not speaking from experience, of course), consider dropping them off at seven city locations this Saturday.

The “Pumpkin Rescue” is run by the Department of Public Works’ Food Waste Drop-off Program, which earlier this year launched a free composting program.

Jack-o-Lanterns and otherwise carved up pumpkins will go into the compost pile, turning waste into nutrient-rich soil. Alongside the gourds, other items accepted for compost are fruit and vegetable scraps, salad, coffee grounds, paper tea bags, loose tea, bread, grains, cereals, rice, pasta, egg shells, nutshells, corncobs, stale beans, flour, spices, and cut or dried flowers.

According to DPW, only about a fifth of the pumpkins grown each autumn end up getting eaten. The virgin pumpkins that remain unpainted and uncarved won’t go into the compost pile, but instead will be donated to a number of partner organizations, like Martha’s Table and Old City Farm & Guild, to be turned into food.

The Pumpkin Rescue will take place from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m., with the drop-off spot in each ward at its farmer’s market. The only exception is Ward 8, because that farmer’s market closed at the end of September. Ward 8 residents are encouraged to use any of the other drop-off locations.

Ward 1: Columbia Heights Farmers Market—14th & Kenyon St. NW
Ward 2: Glover Park Burleith Farmers Market—34th & Wisconsin Ave. NW
Ward 3: University of District of Columbia—4340 Connecticut Ave. NW
Ward 4: 14th and Kennedy Farmers Market—14th and Kennedy St. NW
Ward 5: Brookland Farmers Market—716 Monroe St. NE
Ward 6: Eastern Market (in front of Rumsey Pool)—635 North Carolina Ave. SE
Ward 7: Parkside-Kenilworth Farmers Market—750 Parkside NE