[gardeners] Re: Potatoes and squash

Bill Loke (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 17 Oct 1998 18:13:19 -0400 

Suggest you get those Kennebecs in the dark real quick as they green up so
easily. Too bad I can't get some squash to you as I had a bumper crop this
year. Buttercups and Delicious-51 are especially tasty. In fact Chris made
pies from them today. Saving the seed from them. The Marina di Chiogga are
ugly but so hard they take twice as long to cook compared to the others.
Starting to screen saved seed today. Should have a list for swapping soon.
bloke@silicon-north.com (Bill & Chris Loke)[Z4/5 on a good day]
The Lokeation, RR#1, Kars, Ontario K0A 2E0
Elderberries have more fun than younger berries!
-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Lauterbach <mlaute@micron.net>
To: gardeners@globalgarden.com <gardeners@globalgarden.com>
Date: Saturday, October 17, 1998 6:00 PM
Subject: [gardeners] filling in


>Well, my heirloom squash plant bit the dust early last summer.  The only
>winter squash I was going to grow because I wanted pure seeds.  The only
>thing I can think of is that the soaker hose was clogged with hard water
>deposits and didn't let enough water through.  I watered it as often as
>other crops on the same connection, and nothing went water starved except
>the squash.
>
>To attempt to make up for the lack, I bought 6 butternut squashes (some
>huge) and two acorns at the farmers' market this morning for 50cents each.
>Some of those butternuts will feed the two of us for a week.  Same farmer
>had selected baking size taters, and since I've raced through most of the
>baking sized potatoes from my own garden, I bought a 50 pound sack of
>Kennebecs for $7.50.  Yum.  They bake up mealier than russets, which he
>also had, or Yukon Golds which are on the moist side.  Red Pontiacs are
>even moister when baked, but they have an earthy taste to them that I find
>pleasant.  I usually do a lot of muttering when I have to pay 50 cents per
>pound for baking potatoes in winter and spring.  Green Mountains make
>excellent baking potatoes but they're never for sale in this area.
>
>Boy Scouts used to sell 50 lbs. of spuds for $5 and make a profit.  I'll
>bet you could get field run potatoes for less than that this year,
>unfortunately.  The Asian economic woes are hitting Idaho farmers pretty
hard.
>
>I dug plenty of smaller potatoes -- Yukon Golds, Kennebecs and Red Pontiacs
>-- from my garden, so these bakers will fill out.  I do love potatoes.
>
>My pup dog got a bath and a haircut today, so he's recovering from the body
>insult.  At least today the groomer didn't shave the top of his feet like
>she did last time.  Uggggg---ly!  He's a mixed breed, terrier and
>schnauzer, looks like a (mostly) intact schnauzer with ears and tail the
>way they were meant to be.  He's just missing a couple of jewels.
>
>Margaret