One of our favorite crops is winter squash with its many varieties of colors, flavors, shapes and sizes. The butternut, acorn, hubbard, delicata, kobacha, sweet dumpling, turban, spaghetti, and butternut varieties tend to be the most commonly available. However, there are literally hundreds of different varieties of winter squash in the world to experiment with. With all that variety, it’s hard to get tired of using them to make really good food recipes.

Sadly, winter squash vines can reach 20 feet in length and therefore most back gardens cannot support the plants. Skilled gardeners will try to grow pumpkins on an angled trellis along a building, wall, or fence. The benefit here, in addition to saving space, is that the vines do not reach the ground and this reduces problems with mold and other diseases. Vines, when grown on a trellis, will shade the building or window, deck or driveway, relieving residents from the onslaught of summer heat.

Most farmers markets will offer a wide range of varieties to choose from. When choosing any winter squash from a farmer’s stall, test the skin with your thumbnail. It should feel hard, solid, and almost impenetrable. The end of the vine should be dry and wrinkled; the small piece of vine will often fall off as the squash matures further in storage. Also, the end of the base should feel very dry. Choosing pumpkins that have been fully ripe and properly cured ensures that your squash will keep well through the winter. An added benefit of fully ripe squash is that its seeds will be thick and ready to roast and serve as a snack.

Squash that is not fully ripe will not store well over the winter – the ends will start to wilt and soften and then stinky rot will set in. However, when you have an unripe winter squash, you can still use it in the kitchen and turn it into another delicious and super easy dish.

Just cut it in half (or quarters) and scoop out the seeds (don’t bother saving the green seeds for snacks – they don’t contain meat). Then cut into 1.5 “thick slices.

In a small bowl, mix together some garlic (crushed or powdered dry), salt, and oil. Brush this mixture, covering both sides of each slice. Place on a baking sheet and grill for 3-8 minutes per side, or until meat is tender. This makes it a great side to practically any meal you are serving.

Alternatively, fill the oven with as many green squash as you can fit in there (to make the best use of the heat) and once cooled, store it in 1 cup. containers. Add 1/4 tsp. of the crushed fruit with a little hot water in the dog’s bowl and watch the puppy’s joy begin!

There are many ways to take advantage of a bountiful pumpkin crop. Our cookbook, From One Small Garden, has numerous recipes for using ripe winter squash and its seeds.