Enjoying Squash into the Winter Months
Squash is known to many as the harvest decorating vegetable and many of us carve “pumpkin” forms of squash during the Halloween season, but what exactly is the great thing about squash?
Winter squash is one of the best things about the fall and into the winter. It matures in about 80 to 100 days in some areas and is ready for harvest with the skin is hard to pierce with your thumbnail and the vine begins to shrivel and look dried up. You can do so much with winter squash, it’s a pretty amazing vegetable and it is one of my absolute favorites to set out for decoration.
Back in the pioneer days many families depended on the winter squash for more than just decoration. It was said to be a hardy vegetable that could sit for months on a shelve and then be ready for preparing for the family and be just as good as when it was picked. There are many farmers and even crafters that use winter squash gourds to make flower pots and even bird houses to hang out on the tree limbs. The seeds can be roasted with salt and packaged to save for months and frozen to keep for years as well.
If you check out farmers markets and pumpkin patches during the fall there will be abundance of winter squash and to grow your own look for these varieties:
• “Cornell’s Bush Delicata’: This type of winter squash has a vine that is best for smaller gardens.
• ‘Jarrahdale’: An Australian native and can reach pumpkin-shaped squash that is about 6 to 10 lbs. And has a mild sweet taste to it as well.
• ‘Lakota’: Teardrop-shaped with a nice true orange color.
• ‘Marina di Chioggia’: Mainly seen in Italy and is used for many Italian dishes.
• ‘Red Kuri’: Gets about 4 to 7 lbs. with a bright orange-colored skin tone. Can be used in soups and even some pies as well.
• ‘Small Wonder’: About the size of spaghetti squashes and used mainly by itself and has a great taste.
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