Just sent you an email! ;)

Hi everyone--I'm looking for some of the pattypan/scallop squash that are yellow with the green centers...sometimes they're called "flying saucers" or "UFO". I've searched at all my local stores and can't find them this year, only the white ones. I would order them online, but I can't find a source that the shipping wouldn't be more than the seeds for one packet. :-) If anyone has a couple to spare, I would appreciate it SO much. I'm a newbie, so my seed collection isn't huge yet, but I do have 3 or 4 different nasturtiums, sweetpeas, sugar snap peas, lemon and spacemaster cucumbers, bush white scallop squash, and "bush" butternut seeds to trade. Thanks! Shae

Sorry, I know this is a very old post. But Carol Deppe, in her book Resilient Gardener, talks about squash storage (she's studied it extensively). Actually, not all squash get sweeter with storage. C. pepo (which includes acorn and delicata) are actually better early in the season. C. moschata are similar to C. pepo, but will store for much longer (ie butternut). C. maxima are actually WAY better after a month or more in storage (This includes the buttercup, sweet meat, Hubbard, and some of the large pumpkins). I have not compared the two types of delicata (that question is what brought me here today), but the big thing it to make sure they are fully ripe before you pick them. They are often picked early. Look at the curly vine closest to the fruit. When that starts to dry out, its likely time to pick. Never had luck with the "can't be pierced with a fingernail" trick. I have very hard nails, and not every squash has very hard skin, even when mature. More on squash in my blog post, here. https://milesawayfarm.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/duck-eggs-and-winter-squash/

My neighbor just gave me a delicata she'd picked up at the Farmers Market and since I didn't know what to do with it, googled recipes. This is the first one that came up and I liked it a lot, halved the recipe for just the one squash (being more of a savory than sweet person :)) Baked Delicata Squash with Lime Butter 2 (3/4 pound each) delicata squash 3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon chili powder Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove fibers and seeds. Place cut-side down in a glass baking dish and add water to the dish to a depth of 1/4 inch. Bake 30 minutes or until squash is soft but not mushy. Remove from oven. In a small bowl, combine butter, lime juice, and chili powder; stir until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. spoon the butter mixture into baked squash cavities and serve hot. Makes 4 Servings.