What did you do in the garden today?

[Sally PB]

I don't grow winter squashes so I have no clue, but isn't it safe if you cut it in chunks & then pressure can? Or just a no go altogether?

Squash and pumpkin can be canned safely as cubes or chunk. Puree is done commercially but a no no for home canning.

Thank you, I didn't know that! I wonder what the difference is? It seems like the heat would penetrate puree better than chunks. Anyone know?

 

[saysfaa]

I'm guessing the puree is too thick to circulate enough.

An inch of chunk might take longer to heat through than an inch of puree if the heat were to come from only one side for each. The inch of chunk surrounded by circulating water would be heated from all sides though. The puree would be surrounded by other puree that wasn't fully heated except where it was close enough to the wall of the jar. Theoretically, it could be heated through if it were left to process long enough but then the edges would be heated more/longer than needed which degrades nutrients and maybe other disadvantages. It might also be hard to give a safe time.

 

[Smokerbill]

Picking winter squash. I’ve picked more since this pic. Two butternut types. The round/bell type is Mrs. Amerson’s cheese type. The plants look like they would produce more, so I’ve watered them, cleaned up dead leaves, and see some young squash among the leaves.
View attachment 3617127


Heat wave…and we are getting chicks shipped. There was a delay on the order due to hatch rates, so they were shipped yesterday. not sure what we will see when they arrive.

I just learned that winter squash, including butternuts need be cured, which seals up any breaks in the skin and makes it so they store over the winter better. 80 to 85 degrees, at 80 to 85 percent humidity for a couple weeks.

squash wsu.edu

iastate.edu

 

[WthrLady]

I'm guessing the puree is too thick to circulate enough.

An inch of chunk might take longer to heat through than an inch of puree if the heat were to come from only one side for each. The inch of chunk surrounded by circulating water would be heated from all sides though. The puree would be surrounded by other puree that wasn't fully heated except where it was close enough to the wall of the jar. Theoretically, it could be heated through if it were left to process long enough but then the edges would be heated more/longer than needed which degrades nutrients and maybe other disadvantages. It might also be hard to give a safe time.

squash puree can be too dense, which doesn't allow the high heat needed to protect the food/kill the baddies, get to the center for the amount of time needed.
Chunks can better and safer than puree.

 

[Swiss]

I haven't been able to keep up with this thread, and haven't posted in a while. However, we harvested our potatoes yesterday, and got 125.2 lbs!!!! I planted 4 rows 12' long with 10 lbs of seed potatoes, and got 125 POUNDS!!!!!!

And there were some monsters in there:

I baked up all the tinies for dinner last night:

 

[igorsMistress]

Me too. 105 yesterday but felt like 118
today 104 feeling like 115
EVERYONE is tired of being hot and cranky

Yes’m we’re with you there. We are all cranky here.

 

[akroberts1085]

I’ve baked, then drained a bit, the pie pumpkin, freeze in 2 C quantities for pie etc. as far as butternut…not sure. I have a wonderful butternut squash soup recipe. Seriously no other flavor but squash, with a touch of cream. It is the best, and I usually make this and freeze it in smaller quantities. My fam isn’t as big on the smooth creamy soups -they like it but only about half as much as I do. I may try to slice and freeze some -for roasting, or cube it for freezing. Not sure what is the best thing here.

That carrot cake recipe did say they tried it with sweet potatoes …and it was good. Maybe I’ll try butternut squash in a batch. That will be 7C shredded squash for one recipe.

Then I have that huge pumpkin to deal with… that plant has produced 5 already (only 2 are huge), and looks like 3 more are developing. Apparently that is sold by the slice in France bc they are so big!

My mom used butternut squash or spaghetti squash to add to a pumpkin pie mix. It was amazing and delicious.

 

[NanaK]

Started cleaning out the pumpkin bed this week. I got about 14 pie pumpkins from just a couple plants.

 

[akroberts1085]

I haven't been able to keep up with this thread, and haven't posted in a while. However, we harvested our potatoes yesterday, and got 125.2 lbs!!!! I planted 4 rows 12' long with 10 lbs of seed potatoes, and got 125 POUNDS!!!!!!
View attachment 3617392
And there were some monsters in there:View attachment 3617393
I baked up all the tinies for dinner last night:
View attachment 3617396

I'm just waiting for next month to harvest my potatoes. I'm hoping for a large amount for my husband and I to have homemade french fries.

 

[akroberts1085]

Squash and pumpkin can be canned safely as cubes or chunk. Puree is done commercially but a no no for home canning.

My mom cans pumpkin and squash in puree form and hasn't ever had any issues.