It’s that time of year again, when the tomatoes slowly decrease their proliferous production of fruits and the peppers are starting to shrivel on the plants. But a look across the field reveals that one crop is just now reaching its peak: tawny butternut squashes, creamy yellow spaghetti squashes and deep green acorn squashes peak from beneath their green vines.
These beautiful fruits shout ‘autumn’ and remind us that our growing season here at Freedom Foods is nearing a successful completion.
Before long, Ryan and his crew will head to the fields some crisp sunny day before the first frost, armed with baskets and wagons to gather in the squashes. But until that day comes, the squash will remain on the vines in order to draw in every last bit of nutrients that they can. The result? Flavorful winter squash perfect for all sorts of soups, sides and desserts.
Once brought in from the field, the beautiful orange, yellow and green squashes will be placed inside our empty propagation greenhouse, which has been cleared out specifically for this purpose. There they will sit until their outside skin has fully hardened and is ready for long-term storage in a dark, temperature-regulated cooler. This curing step is crucial to preserving the squash, but when it is completed, it will ensure that our customers can enjoy field-grown produce during the winters in their weekly baskets as long as supplies last.
This capacity for successful storage, along with their autumn-packed flavor and tender flesh, is the true beauty of the creamy, green and orange hued squashes dotting our fields.
