We had a wonderful squash harvest this year, but now we are having trouble keeping it. Pumpkins and winter squash are suppose to be harvested before the first frost, and allowed to cure in warm temperatures (>80 degrees) in the direct sunlight for a week or two before being put into storage at 50-55 degrees and <60% humidity.
We definitely did none of these.
It was already cool, gloomy and damp when we harvest them, so curing them in the sun was not an option. More importantly, there is no spot in the shop that is less than 60% humidity. I don’t think there is a spot on the farm that is <60% humidity. I don’t think there is a spot in Washington (outside of an air conditioned house) that is <60% humidity, between September and June.
So our squash is beginning to spoil.
We have had to cull about 40% of it so far, and are likely to have to cull more. We need to get it off the shelves and either can it in chunks, or steam it all and puree it and freeze the puree, or some combination of the two.
Still, no great loss without some small gain. Our pigs certainly have no complaints about this turn of events.
Little Farm in the Big City 