Exceeds Expectations

We got our winter squash crop in pretty late this past season because we simply had difficulty getting started.  The good news?  We pretty much know what we're doing by now with these crops and we gave them the best start we could in hopes that we could avoid an early frost.  And, happily, the first frost was late this year so things went just fine.

I got the couple of dozen Burgess Buttercup squash that I've set as a goal each of the past three years.  Since those are my personal favorite for eating, that's a very good thing.  Tammy, on the other hand, probably prefers the Waltham Butternuts and I am perfectly fine eating them as well.

We got pretty close to three squash for every couple of row feet for the Walthams, which is a fine result based on our historical harvest records.   

On the flip side, we only harvested one, smaller, pumpkin.  They simply needed more time and a bit more attention than we gave them.  This was one of those times where I just knew we were fighting a losing battle.  We didn't get the fence up the same day we planted.  So, of course the deer tasted several of the pumpkins that first night.  Then, there was the limited time to do the needed cultivation.  So, we opted to cultivate the crops that were already doing better rather than those that were already showing signs of a struggle.

This is a normal process at the Genuine Faux Farm.  We try to do as much as we can.  Actually, we always try to do MORE than we know we can.  Then, as the season progresses, we find ourselves making choices.  We've learned that it's often better to spend our time on the crops that are doing well so they keep doing well than it is to try to rescue crops that are having a rough time.

So, this year's choice for squash was to see the Waltham's and Burgess through to completion.  Of course, we would have liked the pumpkins to produce too.  But we don't regret the decisions that led to this at all.

A typical size of a nice Waltham Butternut squash is somewhere from three to four pounds.  Sometimes, we get a bunch of nice five pound squash.  This year was pretty much average in that respect.

Except for one squash that exceeded all expectations.  You might notice it is much bigger than the two other squash in the first picture.  The smallest squash was just under four pounds and the one lying down on the table was approaching five pounds. 

Then there was this monster.  How does eight pounds and a bit over four ounces sound to you?

Yeah.  That's a good sized squash.  And it's going to be our centerpiece on our kitchen table for a couple of months.  Usually, that spot is reserved for a nice Musquee de Provence pumpkin.  But, I don't think we're going to be too unhappy seeing this one on the table for a while.