If you are going pumpkin picking, you want to select the best of the bunch! To get your blue ribbon pumpkin, the stem is the MOST important feature! Check to see if the stem is strong enough that you can carry it. If the stem is strong, dark, and green it will last almost twice as long as a weak brown one because that means it was picked when it was young. Skip any gourd that is missing a stem completely because the stem will continue to nourish the pumpkin even after harvesting!