Winter white is OK, but a splash of color is nice for a change, even if it’s only a picture. These summer squash are from a late September harvest last year: Sunburst scallopini, with one green Peter Pan patty pan, and on the right, Golden Dawn III zucchini. The scallopinis are picked a lot bigger than the 2-3″ (5-7.5cm) babies favored by some, but, well, the taste for baby vegetables I usually don’t get… Wait a little longer and they’re so much bigger: more eating, less picking! :)
Meg says
Oh, do those look good. We’ve been eating a whole lot of brown food lately–some bright yellow squash would be awesome. I don’t suppose you managed to save any …
Anne says
Those look wonderful. I was just thinking about pulling some squash from the freezer earlier this morning. Now I’m definitely inspired. Got any good squash casserole recipes?
Julie says
I was Googling around, looking at pictures of Brussels sprouts because I think they’re amazing, and I found your blog. I’m so glad I did! I think it’s beautiful!
Best to you and your farm in the new year!
Katie says
Hi Mike,
We’re going to grow pattypans for the first time next season, and we’re really interested in how they will turn out. Our friends weren’t judicious in picking them and one grew huge! Truly looked like a spaceship…ever had that problem?
Katie at GardenPunks
VP says
Hi Mike,
The baby size have a much better flavour, but you can always guarantee that some of the fruit will escape picking and grow to marrow size proportions :0. These get made into my staple weekend lunchtime fare, allotment soup – i.e. whatever’s in glut at the time!
Mike (tfb) says
Meg: Yeah, brown food exactly! A couple of years ago, I tried mache (corn salad) in the unheated hoophouse, it grows fine in the winter. If you’re going for year-round garden eating in cold climates, some fresh winter harvest is definitely in order!
Anne: I’ve been sent some recipes and will post them in the forum. Although, they’re for winter squash…
Julie: Thanks!
Katie: I’ve grown one variety of patty pans, Peter Pan. It’s consistently a little less prolific, slower growing and less fruit, than the similar Starburst scallopini, but that could just be the variety and conditions right here. In general, they’re like all the summer squash: you gotta pick ’em literally every two-three days if you want a certain size, ’cause they grow like crazy! IMO, they’re still good eating at almost any size, but past a reasonable size (5-6″ for patty pans) and age, and the flesh gets tougher and the seeds develop. And REALLY big summer squash of all sorts are inevitable. I wonder why I don’t have pictures…
VP: Of course, you’re right, smaller veggies have a more delicate flavor and texture, which is definitely delicious. And oversize veggies get tougher and lose flavor. Then there’s that range between “baby” size and perfectly mature for most veggies I know, where the size doubles or triples or better, the texture and taste firm up nicely, you just get so much MORE for your gardening effort. Like, I LOVE the first, golf ball-sized new potatoes, but I wouldn’t want to give up big potatoes for them. Baby carrots, big carrots. Tender baby salad greens, hearty, mature leaf lettuce… And when I’m harvesting for a crowd (like, 50 shares), well, it’s arithmetic, too! :)
gardengirlie says
Wow, what a bounty! I plan on growing some pattypan this year. I hope they produce!
farmingfriends says
The colour of these squashes are amazing. I love to grow zucchini. How does the taste of the yellow zucchini compare to the ordinary green zucchini?
Sara from farmingfriends
Mike (tfb) says
Sara: Different color, same texture and taste, more or less. I find all the summer squash fairly similar. You should try Largo if you can get the seed. It has a quite distinctive flavor and is my favorite zucchini-type so far. It’s a hybrid, but, oh, well…
marina stevenson says
Hoping you can help me, I am growing what appears to be a Peter Pan patty pan scallopini. It has heaps of fruit but they do not appear to grow bigger than about 4 cm and if I don’t pick then, they turn a sickly pale yellow and go soft then rot. What am I doing wrong. Thanks, Marina.
Mike (tfb) says
marina: It sounds like maybe a pollination problem. You can check out the pictures and info at Squash & Pumpkin Pollination, and there’s actually a brief discussion of the “baby squashes-rotting-and-falling-off problem” from a similar question in Tiny Farm Forum a year ago. That’s where I learned more about this! :)
Mary Christianson says
Simply a spectacular image.
Gabe says
To whom it concerns:
Does your site farm out the adds or do you deal directly with your ad space? I am interested in placing an add. If someone would contact me I would definitely appreciate it!
Respectfully,
Gabe
http://bulkbin.com