Delicata Squash

Delicata squash have become a fall favorite, but still very hard to find in the backwoods of West Virginia.  Last year, we set about seed saving from the delicata we bought in D.C.  We carefully saved the seeds and this summer, we started a tray of plants in the greenhouse. 

They were beautiful plants, but the weather outside was not cooperating.  Finally, we got the plants in the ground.  Many of them died during the very process of planting them!  They went into the ground in one of the worst dry spells we have had in West Virginia.

Undaunted, we watered every day, but watering isn't the same as a nice, gentle rain shower.  Still, a few of the plants thrived. (OK, they didn't exactly "thrive" so much as they survived, but one takes what one can get.)

Just as the fruit started to gain in size, the weather decided to cause more problems. After warm weather, the temperature decided to plummet for two nights.  Just two, in the middle of a mild October.  So we set out covering the squash for two nights to try to save them. 

The leaves got a bit burned from the frost, but I think we might actually get one or two from the effort.  In all of our canning, we made a batch of Blueberry Chipolte Ketchup.  Out favorite way to serve the delicata squash is to cut it into long strips, like fries, and serve them with the ketchup. 

Next year, more seeds earlier in the year!