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brookw_gw

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brookw_gw
9 years ago

Normally I have a restaurant that buys 150 lbs/week of winter squashes--butternut, cushaw, and spaghetti. After planting the usual amount to meet this demand, I find he now only wants the butternut, leaving me with probably 1,000 lbs of the cushaw and spag. I've contacted several stores w/in a 50 mile area, trying to move these and probably another 1,000 lbs of other winter squashes--to no avail. Does anyone have any suggestions on moving this stuff? I'm fine w/donating it to charity but only after exhausting every possible outlet.

I had a quite a harvest this year. I gave away truckloads of pumpkins and gourds. Last week someone took nearly a truckload just for target practice. Sounds like fun to me!!

Comments (8)

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    9 years ago

    I would take several hundred pounds of spaghetti squash.

    I have to start growing these again, I did 1/2 acre for two years. Sold good, lasted a long time. My problems is I had to grow them 40 miles away from my house.

    As far as selling the extra, do you have any winter markets in your area? Have you tried Craigslist?

    Jay

  • little_minnie
    9 years ago

    I sell of my local buy/sell facebook page. Also keep trying the stores. You can keep these for some time I suppose and they might sell through what they have. When I sell to stores they will tell me no for some vegetable and then 3 days later they will want it.

  • barrie2m_(6a, central PA)
    9 years ago

    It is a problem when lots of squash are remaining. I had an opportunity to do a winter indoor market with mine but they are heavy to haul indoors repeatedly and just not worth taking to any market without some other more profitable produce. I'll just store for eating, giving away and possibly target practice.

  • brookw_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks,all. Jay, I wish I could get them to you. I'm hoping my chef will decide to offer them up on his menu once again--at least the spaghetti. I do have customers on a weekly mailing list who buy year round, but they can't begin to take all I've got. We also have no winter markets around here. However, there are auctions I might look into. The stores require special insurance, which I could not afford--especially after selling the stuff at half of what I normally get.

    I'll probably donate most of it, and that's ok.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    9 years ago

    Two years ago, we stored the winter squash all winter and started to sell it again in the spring. The spaghetti squash was the real winner in this. I sold it until I ran out. Probably all of May and into June. I offered them at $1-$2 a piece, not great, but people were happy to see them.

    I was also very clear that they were winter stored and not a new crop.

    Jay

  • sandy0225
    9 years ago

    i sure wish I could help you. My spaghetti squash did well this year, but then they got spots on them and wouldn't keep. I don't have any now, and they usually sell well at the winter market. I think Jay's idea of storing them for spring/summer if possible is an excellent one. People will be glad to get them at your regular market. And that way if the restaurant changes their mind, you will have them to sell. Maybe you can encourage customers to ask for it via facebook? or maybe those same customers would buy them off you when you post some recipes, etc? I sell quite a lot of things via facebook.

  • myfamilysfarm
    9 years ago

    If you do market them on craigslist, make sure to inform people that they are so much better for diabetics or anyone else looking to curb their carbs.

    Marla

  • billdash
    9 years ago

    checkout www.sparecrop.com, might be a project worth looking into as it could make problems like this into an opportunity.

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