This afternoon we’re going out to dig the last of our potatoes, two 75-foot rows in our old pig pasture. We already have the North Garden and the Main Garden, so instead of continuing to call it the “pig pasture garden,” we changed its name to “The Central Garden.” Isn’t that high class? Anyway, we’ve got to get those late potatoes dug before the ground freezes. We sure don’t want to waste them.

I’m getting ready for a trip to Denver, Colorado. I’ve been asked to speak at the Self Reliance Expo there which is November 4-5th. So if any of you would like to come, I’d sure be real happy to meet you. Just come up to the Backwoods Home booth. Jeff Yago, Dave and Ilene Duffy, and Don Childers will also be there so it’ll be kind of an “old home weekend.”

We had a pile of Hopi Pale Grey squash on the front porch but as the nights are getting colder, I’m moving them into our downstairs spare bedroom to store. (We still have four from last year!) These squash taste and store so well they’ve always been our favorites. I don’t know how they possibly nearly went extinct! They’re so much better than plain old acorn or buttercup squash, favored by commercial growers.

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I’ve got a crate of nice carrots to can up, grown by my friend Dara. Our main garden was filled with extra tomatoes and beans this year, so we decided that this spring, she would grow extra carrots and we’d trade sweet corn for carrots. That was sure a win-win trade. She got to can up two crates of sweet corn and I’ve got carrots I didn’t grow.

This afternoon David’s girlfriend, Ashley, is coming over to help me can apples. She’s never canned before so she’s getting hands-on lessons. I’ve got tons of apples and the extra help is much appreciated, for sure. — Jackie

11 COMMENTS

  1. I am in zone 3-4 down near Lake Superior in Minnesota, and started my Hopi squash inside in March. I kept replanting in larger pots until I transplanted outside. We had four plants this year and yielded a dozen medium large squash. I was so happy, as we did not get any the year before. I did not start them so early in 2015. I think the trick is starting early and…keeping the deer away! I agree Jackie, the taste is superior to other varieties. I will be saving seeds for future use. Thank You so much for the opportunity to grow them.

  3. Oh darn. Yes I can grow some other winter squash but have to check days to maturity. It will take a few centuries of global warming before there are 100 growing days where I live. We are lucky to get 80 and I don’t count on it. I tried starting seeds indoors and transplanting, as you know an iffy activity because squash do not tolerate any root disturbance, and about 50% of my transplants died. Bought RootTrainers but haven’t used them yet. I have gotten plants with squash on them but they didn’t mature or ripen even in storage and tasted awful when cooked. Probably my best hope for a quick maturing Hopi Pale Grey is to keep growing them and selecting seeds each growing season from any that seem close to maturity. Maybe in time I can get a landrace that will mature in 80 days. Meanwhile all I can do is drool over those beautiful squash of yours.

  4. Angela,

    Yes, they will be available this fall. Soon. I’m bad; I haven’t yet updated our website as we’re still finishing up harvesting seeds. But I promise I will soon. If you’d like wild plums, just order them now. They’re $2.50 for a package, plus $1 postage for just the plum pits. They need to be chilled before germinating so either plant them now or chill in the fridge and plant in the spring.

  6. zelda,

    Where do you live? I’ve grown these squash everywhere and folks from across the country do too…even Alaska. Can you grow other squash like acorns? Hopis only take 100 days to full maturity. In Montana, way up in the mountains at 6,500 feet, I did start them four weeks before our last spring frost date, but I did get mature squash that way.
    No, we don’t want to ship the squash; it’d be WAY too expensive with postage being what it is. The weigh on average about 12 pounds or better. I’d like to help you grow your own, instead.

  7. Are the seeds from the plants you’ve been talking about going to be available this fall? I see several I would like to try, especially the wild plums, but most of the ones I wanted to try, aren’t listed in the current catalog you have posted. Thanks.

  8. I have been reading your blog for several years and have really enjoyed it. I would love to live on a farm and grow and become independent. well mostly. An injury to my back has prevented this. We own a farm but don’t live there. I think that is why I so much enjoy your blog. I grew up on a dairy farm and my mother was a teacher. In the summer we would garden and can and play softball and show our 4-H projects at the fair and spend time with family. It was a good life and I miss it. Keep writing and showing pictures – I love the pictures. I still can some. I just made applesauce of 3 bushels apples – 1 bushel each of ida red, courtlands and jona gold. Each batch I use an equal amount of apples of each kind. It is the best applesauce ever and don’t need to add sugar. I use a victorio strainer and its easy to make.

  9. Jackie we are so very happy that you are coming to Denver! several of us homesteaders bought our tickets as soon as it was posted. Can’t wait to meet you!!!

  10. That was funny about renaming the pig garden. I’m so glad that you will have some special time with David’s girlfriend AND help with the apples.

  11. Jackie, as I have not been able to grow the Hope Pale Grey where I live (they don’t mature and I’ve tried your seeds and seeds from Baker Creek) I would be glad to buy a box of 2 or 3 from you, paying by the each or by the pound, plus postage. Yes I’m serious. But it is freezing regularly where I live so they need to be shipped soon so they don’t freeze in transit. If you want to get into the squash selling business let me know how much money to send you. Heck, you sell seeds – why not the mature vegetable? It’s a mail order vegetable stand. I’d buy some of your celery too…

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