Fall is definitely pumpkin time. Shoot, even McDonalds and Starbucks are advertising PSL on the radio and billboards. (Just in case, you are more like me than not, PSL stands for Pumpkin Spice Latte.) Well, on the farm we grow pumpkins and lots of them—sweet pie pumpkins. This growing season was very good for all the varieties of squash.
Last fall, I visited a pumpkin/vegetable trial from our local seed supplier. Trials evaluate plant performance and yield to benefit vegetable gardeners. At the trial, there was this new sugar pie pumpkin that was incredibly delicious and uniform in size. I am always on the lookout for great tasting vegetables and, while our tried and true small sugar pie variety was excellent, this new one caught my attention. The flavor is bar none, off the charts, with dense meaty flavor. The outside is also unique, with a light orange color and a netting overlay. It is also more uniform in size.
Being the quintessential dreamer that I am, I jumped in whole hog and switched to this Winter Luxury variety. About six weeks ago, I called my seed representative and sent her a picture of the basketball-sized pumpkins growing in my field. (Do you know why farmers often have less hair? Because we do a lot head scratching trying to figure out what is happening with our crops, the weather, etc.) Sorry I digress, but the yield I was getting was definitely a head scratcher. This new variety, grown on my farm, out grew itself and now I have a lot of 8 to 10 pounders that won’t fit into our delivery boxes.
Want to help your farmer this week??? Feel free to order an extra pumpkin (or five ☺) for only $5 each and we will deliver it with your next order: http://www.klesickfamilyfarm.com/cart/index.php?route=product/category&type_view=&path=2&page=8
