One of this weeks major projects has been harvesting and curing our winter squash crop. As you can see from the lead picture, we cut the squash from the vine and then leave them out in a dry spot in the field for a few days and nature takes care of the rest. Next week, we'll pick up all the squash and move them into crates in our packshed for storage. They'll be available for your CSA shares, Farm Stand orders and our Thanksgiving Holiday shares.
Curing is a process that helps the squash harden their skin to make them more resilient to the bacteria that would cause them to spoil. Each squash has a different average shelf life and butternut and spaghetti squash are among those that store the longest. You can expect butternut squash to last 3-6 months when stored in a cool, dark, dry location such as a basement.
