Sean Straw wrote:
songbird wrote:
Sean Straw wrote:
...
Speaking of winter squash, I still have 150-200 lbs of Rouge Vif
D'Etamptes ("Cinderella" Pumpkin) in my garage. Last year, we
finished the last of the prior year's harvest in June, about the time
I was seeding the 2011 garden crop.

ooh! *all ears*

what it is like and how do you store it?

It is the large round red-orange (thus the "rouge" in the French name)
pumpkin that has been flattened in the middle. Harvest when ripe,
leaving a 3-4 inches of stem on (never cut squash stems short if you
intend to store them or they'll start rotting near the stem). Wash
off, then wipe down with a dilute bleach solution, which helps to
mitigate bacterial issues on the skin while in storage.

we haven't had rot be a problem yet, but
we've not grown many kinds yet either.


Store in a cool dry location. My garage is fine, though I could store
them in the barn. Periodically check and rotate storage in case
something starts to go bad. I usually plant a 6-12 or more plants of
this variety each year. I have others of course, but this is such a
great pumpkin, it's always there.

is 60-70F cool enough?

how long does it take to go from seed to harvest?
we get pretty long days here (mid-michigan). if the
harvest date is into the fall far enough then the
storage temp wouldn't be too hot, but if they are
ready in late August we might still get pretty
high temperatures.


We'll let the kids etch patterns
into the skins of a few while they're still yellow-orange, which
causes them to scar over as they ripen - rather than growing somethign
we've got to cut open and waste (though yea, we still do that with
some others once in a while - the kids like "Dill's Atlantic Giant",
which is worthless as an eating pumpkin).

we don't have that kind of situation so
it would be for long term storage of eating.
it also helps if the seeds are good to eat
too.


They are excellent roasting pumpkins - cut them into large wedges
place into a roasting pan and smear them with some olive oil and bake
them (which my wife deals with - I don't know the specifics of temp or
time on this). Resulting roast squash is good as a side with a meal
(a smidge of butter perhaps), or for pumpkin risotto, squash soup
(delightful, especially during the winter months), pies, etc. When we
use in squash soup, we usually pull a few pieces out a bit early from
roasting so they're firmer when we blend the soup base.

*nods*

most times here for cooking we clean them out
and then microwave them with a little water in
them. steamed i guess. quicker than baking or
roasting (but i do like the carmelization that
happens with roasted squash a lot).


A medium "fig" (or teardrop) shaped red-orange pumpkin called
"Potimarron" is also a good cooker, but I didn't find it to be all
that prolific.

we need about two to three dozen storable squash or
pumpkins per season. though at first when they come
in storage isn't as big a requirement (we'll eat them ).


For something different, you could try growing Blue Hubbard (which has
a grey-blue skin). That's capable of producing some whoppers, though
the skin and flesh is quite firm which makes it more of a chore to cut
up. Makes great pies, but I didn't find it to be as good for soup.

we have grown Hubbard before as they are what we
buy at times at the store and then the seeds go
through the worm bins and some sprout when the worm
poo is used in the gardens. we call these volunteer
squash, but they are mostly volunteering to be eaten
anyways.


songbird