Squash: A Vegetable For All Seasons

Date: Fri 29-Mar-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

squash-Hufner-Cedar-Hill

Full Text:

SQUASH STORY

FOR HOME AND GARDEN

WITH SEED PACKETS AND RECIPES FOR ILLUSTRATION

Squash: A Vegetable For All Seasons

BY ANDREA ZIMMERMANN

Squash can be one of the most satisfying crops to grow. Novice gardeners can

produce a proliferation of summer squash; with a little more patience winter

squash can be grown and stored until it is cooked up on those cold winter

evenings when the long hot days of summer are just a memory.

Green zucchini and yellow summer squash are the most popular summer squashes,

according to Frank Hufner, proprietor of Cedar Hill Farms in Newtown. "Try to

plant a hybrid because it will be more disease resistant, more prolific, and

will produce over a longer season," he said. "It's more reliable than an `old

standby' variety."

All squash like good fertile soil and full sun - the plants won't tolerate

partial shade, said the farmer. And you don't need to create a "hill" for the

squash seeds or seedlings, just plant four or five seeds in a cluster and thin

to the three healthiest plants when they emerge. Three such clusters set four

feet apart will provide plenty of squash for a family of four, said Mr Hufner.

Squash plants need a lot of water, and do well with a mulch. You can add

manure to the soil before planting, and then apply fertilizer around the base

when the plants are half-way grown and still compact. The latter application

is particularly important because it will encourage a longer season of

productivity and ensure the plants have the nutrition to produce fruit, said

the farmer.

"The better care you take [of your planting], the better it's going to treat

you in the end," said Mr Hufner. So tend your garden lovingly and beware the

squash bug and vine borer.

The squash vine borer will burrow into the hollow stem of the plant about six

inches from the base. The worm-like pest will get inside the stem, grow, and

eventually kill the plant, which will wilt as if it were dry. Prevention is

the best way to combat the vine borer, and Mr Hufner suggests treating the

plants when they are about a foot tall. Treat the stem from underneath the

leaf canopy all the way to the ground with an appropriate substance to ward

off the borer.

The squash bug usually lays its eggs on immature fruit. This nemesis is a half

inch long, chestnut brown, with legs and a "heavy duty structure." You will

need to apply a soap product or other treatment if, near harvest time, you see

the insects or notice a mucus coating on the flower parts and immature fruit

of the squash. Squash bugs will cause blemishes on the fruit.

"You don't need heavy duty insecticide to combat [the squash bug or squash

vine borer]. There are a lot of different things on the market including

natural treatments," said Mr Hufner. "But timing is critical."

If you "overhead water" the plants, do so in the morning rather than the

evening to avoid promoting Powdery Mildew, one of the major diseases that

afflicts squash plants. This disease manifests itself as a white dusting on

the older top leaves. To safeguard against disappointment, Mr Hufner suggests

two plantings of the summer squash: the first no earlier than May 15, and the

second on July 1.

Zucchini, yellow, and Patty Pan squash are all summer/bush type squash. The

first two mature in 50 to 60 days; Patty pan takes a little longer to ripen.

The more vine-type or semi-bush/semi-compact plants - like butternut, acorn,

spaghetti, and Hubbard squash - usually require 100 days to mature. "The

winter squash have a good thick heavy shell, and are predominantly for

keeping," said Mr Hufner.

"Squash are low in calories, high in nutritive value," said Linda Hufner. "And

people who aren't good gardeners usually have an abundance!"

Over the years, Mrs Hufner has used her creativity when cooking squash because

they are in ready supply at the farm. She offered some tips for gardeners.

"Zucchini and summer squash don't freeze well - they're too watery. I like to

bake with them and then freeze the bread," she said. "We saute it a lot in a

wok with other veggies and put in on angel hair pasta."

One of the recipes she often prepares is stuffed acorn squash. Cut the squash

in half and scrape out seeds. Make stuffing using Pepperidge Farm stuffing

mix, chopped cooked spinach, chopped onions, cooked and crumbled bacon,

butter, hot water, diced celery, salt and pepper. Cook the acorn squash a

little bit in the microwave; put in stuffing; back in a 350 oven until squash

is soft.

Larger zucchini squash can be cut into one- or two-inch circles, hollow middle

out without breaking the skin on bottom. Make a regular stuffing and add

sausage meat to it. Place some stuffing on each zucchini circle, top with a

little grated cheese or mozzarella. Bake at 350 for about half an hour, or

until done.

Butternut, acorn, and other winter squash can be cooked and frozen. "Cut it in

half, scrape out the seeds, prick the skin, bake in a microwave or wrap in

heavy-duty tin foil and bake in 400 degree oven. Scrape away from the skin and

mash. You can add a little brown sugar and butter, or maple syrup or honey

instead of sugar before freezing.

Mrs Hufner freezes cooked butternut squash to use in pumpkin pies. "It is less

stringy than pumpkin and makes a nice smooth, mild tasting pie," she said.

Squash is such a popular vegetable at Cedar Hill farm, that Mrs Hufner and her

customers have a "Squash Line" where they exchange recipes.

Cedar Hill Farms raises summer squash, acorn, butternut, buttercup, and

spaghetti squash. Located at 157 Brushy Hill Road, the farm will be opened 9

to 6 daily when the season begins. Garden supplies and plants are now

available at the store located at 105 South Main Street (Route 25) between the

hours of 9 am and 5:30 pm.