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  • From: "Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: "Marketfarming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Keeping qualities of squash
  • Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 17:43:13 -0600

Happy Holidays to all the list members.

Considering the time of year, how many are still holding stored squash?

We had a good crop of Butternut this year and it clearly outsold our Acorn
cultivar. Historically, I personally thought I preferred Acorn's taste but
have changed my mind a little. Our Acorn's were mostly damaged severely by
mice or other rodents chewing on the skins and making them appear
esthetically unsaleable. The Butternut were not attacked at all.

I always thought that Acorn was the best keeper. But I sure was wrong from
our experiences this autumn/winter. We had to throw out all of our stored
Acorn squash this week. The Butternut seems to still be firm although I have
not opened one up for a month or two. Judy normally will put a half dozen in
the oven if she is cooking something else and then will freeze up the cooked
squash for later use.

Have others noticed better storage from the Butternut? What conditions do
you store it?

We have them on or close to the basement floor which is heated quite warm
for short times as we use a wood heater in the basement to mostly heat our
home.

As an alternative, we have a small "root cellar" which is a heavily
insulated room on the other side of the basement on the NW corner of the
house. It is located in a separate room from the basement where we have a
small electronics shop and keep two of our three freezers. We monitor the
temperature and it has been around 54 degrees F as of late.

Would the "root cellar" be a better place to store the squash? I know that
you need to keep the temps up for a week or so after harvest to dry the
outer layer, but then should store in a cooler environment.

How long have some of you been able to keep your squash cultivars? Any other
suggestions on varieties that keep the best and what the best temps seem to
be.

Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Direct marketed dairy beef and produce
(also dairy heifers and beef stockers)
Viroqua, WI






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