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Post by steev on Nov 11, 2014 21:25:12 GMT -5
If you put a hard-shell squash into a clean trash-bag, you can throw that sucker down on a hard surface and not lose a bit of goodness, neither seed nor flesh, while perhaps releasing a bit of anger.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Nov 11, 2014 22:10:19 GMT -5
I thought one day at the farmer's market that I would demonstrate how to open a 40 pound Hubbard squash... So I went to my truck and got out a machete and a hammer, and trundled back to my booth through the crowd. Oops!!!! I would have gotten fewer stares and comments if I had strapped a gun to my hip: This is, after all, the high desert where folks are used to seeing guns carried -- Machetes not so much.
I've often busted squash against the corner of a cement step. Now I suppose I gotta break a few on the driveway. My curiosity won't be quenched until I do.
Chain saws are definitely the wrong way to open squash.
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Post by steev on Nov 11, 2014 22:23:14 GMT -5
I assure you, it works a treat.
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Post by philagardener on Nov 12, 2014 6:40:43 GMT -5
Niche marketing opportunity: flavored bar and chain oils! (Or just use it earlier in the season to trim those massive garlic scapes)
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Post by blackox on Nov 12, 2014 19:59:29 GMT -5
Carol Deppe - I guess that I'll have to try Flat White Boer next year and see how they turn out in my climate. About the hardness or hubbard skin and their "resistance" to being chewed on - do the smaller hubbard varieties have that same trait as the larger ones? Starting next year I'll be growing all of my large vining crops in an area that isn't fenced, and I don't want to many of my squashes going to the deer. As far as I know, all the Hubbards have a hard woody shell. I haven't tried them all. But I suspect that's part of the definition. I've sometimes had major problems with deer in the Sweet Meat--Oregon Homestead plantings. They will walk by everything else and take multiple big bites our of the SMs. As long as they don't bite all the way into the seed cavity, the bite spots generally heal, and the squash can still be used. But they need to be used first, as they don't store as long as the unblemished fruits. Fortunately, there are few deer where I am currently planting them. If I had lots of hail, deer, and rodents I think I would start trialing every hard-shelled squash around. And of course breeding new ones of my own. Sounds like hard shells will be part of my Maxima breeding project then, I've had whole herds of deer pass my (fenced) garden in the past. Here we also get periods of heavy rain in late summer/fall, so a chewed squash might mold quickly if not caught right away. Thanks!
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Post by blackox on Nov 12, 2014 20:05:56 GMT -5
If you put a hard-shell squash into a clean trash-bag, you can throw that sucker down on a hard surface and not lose a bit of goodness, neither seed nor flesh, while perhaps releasing a bit of anger. Great! A new anger management technique directly involved with my hobby of growing things, I'll have to remember that. Seriously thought that's a good idea, never thought of that. Might need a couple of garbage bags to make sure that the bag won't break and fling squashed squash all over the place though.
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Post by steev on Nov 12, 2014 21:05:11 GMT -5
You'll only need one bag for anger management; more for anger venting, though if that's what you need, perhaps the hatchet method is indicated. Have a mellow day.
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Post by catanache on Nov 13, 2014 23:28:49 GMT -5
I was browsing seeds and this one reminded me of this thread: Lower Salmon River Winter SquashSounds like a good start with "Deep orange sweet flesh is flakier & drier than Sweet Meat." and "Almost woody rind helps the fruit store for up to 1 year under ideal conditions & discourages mouse nibbling." Has anyone here grown it? I think that Baker Creek offered it a few years ago.
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Post by Carol Deppe on Nov 14, 2014 3:23:26 GMT -5
If you put a hard-shell squash into a clean trash-bag, you can throw that sucker down on a hard surface and not lose a bit of goodness, neither seed nor flesh, while perhaps releasing a bit of anger. If I drop the squash from head high or throw it down on the concrete, the squash flies into piece, some of the seeds scatter, and the broken halves may land flesh down and have to be cleaned. If I drop from just the right height, the shell cracks completely around the middle, as does the meat, and the two halves hang nicely together by the seed debris, all the broken surfaces staying clean and the seeds staying inside. So I drop from waist high initially. If that isn't high enough, I drop again from a couple feet higher.
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 14, 2014 9:34:10 GMT -5
Great description and so much easier than an axe...
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Post by Carol Deppe on Nov 16, 2014 11:03:35 GMT -5
Carol Deppe I tried a Navajo Orange Hubbard this year but it was taken out by the hail during the tornado. I don't know if it has the characteristic hard shell of the regular blue ones. I have not tried a Blue Hubbard, only because I thought they were for northern gardens. But if you think one would do well here, I will try it next year. So far the most rodent-resistant I've grown are Galeux d'Eysines (maxima)and Illinois (mixta). This year I had a few Violina Rugosa (moschata) make and the one I cooked was tasty. I also harvested some Cuares Mera and Gila Cliff Dweller (both mixta)that went unscathed. My guess is the prolific number of melons consumed by them were a decoy. So, between the hail/tornado/rodents this is all I harvested from over 100 plants! I've been thinking further about your rodent problems, flowerweaver. Seminole is a hard-shelled moschata. Most are fairly small, but Southern Exposure Seed Exchange lists the ordinary line and in addition a bigger line up to about 9 lbs. I happened to be reading something by Gary Nabhan, and he mentioned Seminole as doing well in hot places, and he is SW, not SE. So I'd suggest trying Seminole, including SESE's bigger line.
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Post by flowerweaver on Nov 18, 2014 12:18:55 GMT -5
Carol Deppe I did have six Seminole plants growing from seed I got from a friend in Florida; I do not know where she sourced them but I will ask. The plants were quite robust, and I had high hopes from them, but they did not survive the hail/tornado. Most things were in full bloom, or just setting small fruit when the storm came. I don't know how fair my trials are in survival of the fittest, given that we have never had this brutal of a storm before, although hail and strong winds are common enough. The mixta harvested had set fruit early and likely survived because of their size and hard shell, and their vines were quite sturdy. The Illinois is good/acceptable in flavor. The surviving moschata and maxima were born on vines that regenerated and bloomed after the storm. The latter were also afforded some protection by surrounding shrubs. So far the best tasting and thickest-fleshed has been the Violina Rugosa, followed by the Galeux d'Eysines. I'm not even sure what the white birdhouse gourd shaped ones are, but they are kind of thin walled and insipid. I have not yet tried the Gila or Cuares Mera. Here's what I was trialing (3-6 of each): C. moschataAlligator or Jacare Corazon de Panama Guyana Palav Kadu San Jose Mountain Club Santa Fe Banana Seminole Shishigatani Violina Rugosa C. maximaBuen Gusto de Horno Galeux d'Eysines Guatemala Blue Iran Kabocha Navajo Orange Hubbard Strawberry Crown C. mixta Chihuahuan Cuares Mera Gila Cliff Dweller Hopi Jonathan Illinois Mrs. Aquillard's
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Post by Walk on Nov 20, 2014 10:40:20 GMT -5
I decided to order a pack of Lower Salmon River squash from Adaptive Seeds based on the recommendations in this thread. While I was at it I also ordered Oregon Homestead Sweet Meat and Cascade Ruby-Gold flint corn to make the shipping worthwhile, both Carol Deppe's varieties since she mentioned that they pay her royalties. The order was placed on Saturday and the seed arrived yesterday. The seeds look good - nice and plump and lots of diverse colors in the corn. I was pleasantly surprised by how fast the order was processed and shipped!
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Post by zeedman on Nov 21, 2014 1:19:11 GMT -5
Walk, have you ever been able to visit SSE's Heritage Farm? I mention that because I remembered seeing "Lower Salmon River" growing there (in one of their preservation gardens) and dug out my notes (which don't include the year I observed it). SSE was growing two variants, 'butterscotch seeds' and 'white seeds'. The one with butterscotch seeds (SSE squash 2160) was the most impressive in size & yield; the white-seeded was smaller. I thought that the vines were relatively compact for a Maxima. Of course, visual observations provide no hint of eating quality... this is actually on my short list of Maximas to try, so I look forward to hearing your results next year.
I only grow one Maxima on a regular basis, "Australian Blue" (the name on the market squash I originally saved seeds from). It looks somewhat like "Queensland Blue" (which I've also grown) but matures earlier, and is not as deeply lobed. The squash are buttercup-like (but without the button, more like a kabocha), gray when ripe, and mostly in the 8-12 pound range, with a few larger. I harvested 24 ripe squash this year from 6 plants, well over 200 pounds total. Very good eating quality, dense orange flesh up to 2" thick. Rodents occasionally bite them when immature (I see the bite marks) but must not like the taste of the sap, since they don't actually eat into the squash. The shell is not that tough, just a thick skin really... but the squash are so dense that they are hard to cut open, and store most of the winter.
To open up these squash, I've got a very large, heavy-duty butcher knife which works well. I cut around the stem to remove it, then drive the knife straight through to the blossom end, and holding the tip of the knife down, push down firmly on one side. This usually cuts through (sometimes with the help of a rubber mallet) after which I turn the squash & cut through the opposite side. An ice cream scoop works great to scoop out the seeds.
During my visit to Heritage Farm this year, I observed an incredibly prolific squash in one of their preservation grow outs, "Wickersham Sweet Potato"... other than a passing reference to it being 'good' by William Weaver, don't know anything about it. It appears to be Maxima, I'll probably try it if I can find seed.
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Post by philagardener on Nov 21, 2014 6:57:32 GMT -5
Based on several comments, rodents seem to agree with us on which squash taste the best, so the issue of selecting against rodent damage would seem a tricky one . . .
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