Market Farming

[Allan Balliett <igg AT igg.com>]

I have a planting of ACORN SQUASH in which the vines are dying down 
rapidly from mildew.

I assume that the smartest thing I can do is get the 'ripe' squash 
out of the field and into the cellar.

Questions that come to mind but are out of my experience are:

Do I have to cure this squash at all before setting it aside for CSA 
deliveries in the next 2-4 weeks?

Is there any point in holding or distributing squash that is firm but 
has not ripened before the vines have died?

Which brings up a similar question about butternut squashes: I have 
some beauties that are still greenish and the vines are dead. Are 
these  a loss or are they useable as food in the short term?  (ie no 
storage possibilities) I assume that the ones that have tanned but 
have not 'hardened' (thumbnail easily pierces skin) are appropriate 
for distributing for immediate use.

Other than these problems with continual evening rains several weeks 
back, it's been our best squash season ever. ;-)

Thanks for your help.