The thing about fall is that every week is a gamble with nature. Will it rain too much, will the hurricane come close, will it drop to freezing at night, will groundhogs eat at the squashes, can we let the squash mature for another week.

The delicata squash usually shows up early at farmer’s markets. Its small size is the perfect introduction to winter squashes if you have never ventured outside of pre-cut butternut.

Golden Nugget – These were bred to be a substitute for sweet potatoes in short growing season areas. They are like candy.

Better Bet It’s A Butternut – Want a tip for safer butternut processing? Buy a peeler, and peal the tough rind.

Cushaw – Apparently these are favored in the south, and cooks bake it with brown sugar.

Pink Banana – There was a recent story about Winnipeg students who revived an extinct squash with 800 year old seeds. When I saw the picture, my farmer-sense went “yeah, it’s a pink banana that came from mesoamerica via native populations”. My marketing mind went “how do we make this the next new kale”.

Naples Long – This is the funniest thing I’ve grown so far. It’s the length of an adult torso, weights as much as a toddler, and is beloved by groundhogs. Not that I advocate wasting a perfectly good food, but would be great to carve up for halloween!