I'm not familar with the specific variety but I'd trat it just like any other winter squash when it comes to when to harvest and how to cure/store (root cellar, can in chunks, or freeze).

Can't help with the squash jelly part of your question as I have never heard of an approved recipe for canning it since it is a low acid food. It would require adding a fair amount of acid to it to make it safe or mixing it with other acidic fruits as with the Zucchini-Pineapple jam.

Dave

Dave, thanks. The jam I was talking about was Pineapple-Zucchini. I had never heard of it, but liked it very well. What I had eaten had not been made very long. I have no idea how well it keeps.

Larry

They are an heirloom butternut squash variety. You can use winter squashes (like that one) as summer squash while the skin is tender or winter squash (hard shelled) when shell hardens. Every once in a while you will see one of those show up as a 'throw-back' seed.

Myfamilysfarm, I have searched and searched and I can not find out what a "Throw-Back Seed" is. The closest I can come to a meaning of the term was when I was fishing, the fish that were not worth keeping were thrown back. Does that mean these squash are not worth keeping? I know nothing about them, had not even heard of them till this year.

Thanks, Larry

A "throw-back" in gardening refers to some vegetable that reverted to one of its parent stock varieties.

It is most common with hybrids in their second season if seeds are saved from the first season since hybrids don't breed true.

So if this particular variety was used as the parent stock for some hybrid, now and then that hybrid will "throw-back" (revert) to one of its parents.

Dave

I think what myfamilysfarm means by 'throw-back' is that it was once sold by seed companies many years in the past, then it stopped being sold for a while, but that it is now being sold once again (correct me if I'm wrong).

And it doesn't mean that the squash isn't worth keeping, it just means that it isn't as popular anymore.

As for another reference for throwback, sometimes sports teams wear a throwback jersey/uniform and it means that they are wearing an older style jersey/uniform from years back (usually for a special occassion).

Rodney

Dave's comment either wasn't there or it didn't show up when I started typing. Use his answer. lol

Rodney

Thanks, guys. I have learned something new today. I can see where this squash would not be popular, because the vines take up so much room, but it seem to be the hardest plant I have. I am thinking about trying it as a ground cover next year and seeing if it will grow in the ditch along the hwy. That area is so hard to mow and I think the vines look nice.

Larry

Dave is right about what I meant, it is a parent seed that hybrid's are created from. Unfortunately the seed will not be true.

Dave is right about what I meant, it is a parent seed that hybrid's are created from. Unfortunately the seed will not be true.