Sigh... I just checked the last two large Sweet Meats in my squash patch. Both have major cracks. They're in the compost now. There are plenty of baseball sized fruits coming along, but they won't make anything useful in time. I had high hopes for Sweet Meat. It was supposed to be a Northwest favorite. In fairness I have to say that about half of the Marina Chioggias also split. But that one plant is gonna give me 5 impressively large specimens. Next year, I think I'll go with Bananas and Butternuts. And maybe a Warty Red Thing thrown in for laughs.

Glenda, I don't think moderate light hurts. I think direct sunlight on the pumpkins would be the problem, but not indirect light. It does sound like your cellar might be too damp for pumpkins. Bring them in before temperatures dip below 50 degrees for best quality, and definitely before freezing temperatures arrive. Exposure to freezing temperatures causes fresh pumpkins to break down more quickly after they're picked and put into long-term storage. In fact, all exposure to temperatures below 50 degrees causes cumulative damage...so the more exposure in terms of number of hours the more damage. If you want to do something "different", I have 2 recipes for pumpkin pickles, but haven't made them myself so can't vouch for their flavor. Don't forget you can make pumpkin butter and other yummy goodies and freeze them....if freezer space becomes available. I consulted my "Putting Food By" book by Janet Greene, et al, and it says this about 'root cellaring' pumpkins: Harvest before frost, leaving several inches of stem. Condition at 80 degrees for a couple of weeks to harden the rind and heal surface injuries. Then store them in fairly dry air around 55 degrees. Watch the temperatures very carefully. If pumpkins in storage get much above 55 degrees, the flesh turns stringy. If exposed to temperatures much below 50 degrees, they suffer cold injuries. Place in rows on shelves (sometimes I put them on top of boards or cardboard or layers of newspaper on the floor) and not in a pile. Glenda, I usually wipe off my pumpkins before I put them into long-term storage with a soapy water solution which is about 10% bleach. This can kill any mold or fungal spores on the surface of the pumpkins and help retard spoilage in storage. Some people also coat the entire pumpkin rind in oil by rubbing vegetable oil all over it with a paper towel. This too is said to retard spoilage, but I've never tried it. HOW TO FREEZE PUMPKIN: I know your three freezers are full, but here's how to freeze it, should space become available. Cook the pumpkin to soften it. You can steam it, bake it, microwave it, cook it in a pressure cooker or boil it. Then, scrape the pumpkin meat from the rind and press it through a sieve. Pack into freezer boxes or zip-lock bags and leave 1/2" of headspace. Freeze. You can dehydrate them too, but I don't know if you have a dehydrator, so I won't describe the process. If you do have a dehydrator and want to know how to dry the pumpkins, let me know and I'll add it in another post. Hope this helps. Dawn

dcarch, The sea bass and scallops look delicious! I'd enjoy having that for dinner. I love the summer when DH is fishing frequently. DH and his buddies' tuna trip is scheduled for Sept. 9 this year. They'll go a couple hundred miles past Montauk. Boat is being readied now. What is that red/yellow striped tomato - is it Berkeley Tie Dye? If so, we've got lots of those this year. Beautiful and delicious. We will definitely plant them again next year. About the BER on Green Zebra - have you tried liming in late winter? This year's weather has been so unusual. Normally we get pretty consistent rainfall but this has been a boom or bust season, dry in the early part of summer and torrential tropical downpours every 8-10 days since the end of July. Our locations are so close geographicaly but Mystic's weather pattern is much different because of our location at the entrance to LIS. There's a permanent "stable air" mass overhead - fun to watch on radar, rain will seem to be overspreading all of NYC, LI, SECT and when it gets to the Mystic River just disappates...poof, gone. Yet, we still get about 55-58" annually. It's those ocean storms that nail us. Anyway, my guess is this year at least it's the very uneven rainfall that's led to BER for your Green Zebras. /tricia

I've posted them before, but they're so good. The soup was especially good and it gave it some "heft" when it was made and put into a bread bowl. Golden Summer Squash & Corn Soup From EatingWell: July/August 2009 Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium shallot, chopped 2 medium summer squash, (about 1 pound), diced 3 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano, divided 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear) 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (I used Parmesan since I'd made the cakes and it was on hand) Preparation 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 1 teaspoon herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. 2. Add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft and mostly translucent, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with the remaining 2 teaspoons herbs and feta. (my note, put it in the bread bowl, top it with cheese, and broil it until the cheese browns) Makes 4 cups Nutrition Profile Diabetes appropriate : Low calorie : Low carbohydrate : Low cholesterol : Low saturated fat : Heart healthy : Healthy weight Nutrition Per serving: 111 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 462 mg sodium; 497 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value). 1 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Parmesan-Squash Cakes From EatingWell: July/August 2009 Ingredients 1 large egg 2/3 cup finely chopped shallots 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 2 cups shredded seeded summer squash, (2-3 medium, about 1 pound) 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in shallots, parsley, salt and pepper. Place shredded squash in the center of a clean kitchen towel; gather up the ends and twist to squeeze out any liquid. Add the squash and cheese to the bowl; stir to combine. 3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pack a 1/3-cup measuring cup with the squash mixture and unmold it into the pan; gently pat it down to form a 3-inch cake. Repeat, making 4 squash cakes. Cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Gently turn the cakes over and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. (my note, be sure to seed the squash! It makes a huge difference) Nutrition Profile Diabetes appropriate : Low calorie : Low carbohydrate : Low sodium : Healthy weight : View Complete Nutrition Guidelines» Nutrition Per serving: 130 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 62 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 1 g fiber; 322 mg sodium; 406 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Calcium & Vitamin A (15% dv). 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat