If you can get sugar pumpkins (sometimes called pie pumpkins), they work so much better for pie. They are smaller, but the flesh inside is much thicker than the jack-o-lantern variety. The ones we get around here (Maryland) are more brown than orange. I cut one in half, scoop out the seeds, place the halves cut side down on a baking sheet with a raised edge, and roast it in the oven at around 375 degrees. After the flesh gets soft, about an hour or so, I scrape out the meat, puree it in a food processor, and drain it in a colander lined with coffee filters. The resulting puree can be frozen for at least a year with no discernable loss of flavor or texture.

I also use allspice in my pies instead of clove. And fresh-grated nutmeg rules!

jeffp