Post by macmex on Mar 10, 2018 9:20:55 GMT -6
Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin is one of my favorite squash. It belongs to the c. moschata family, which makes it more insect resistant than most.
I received my Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin seed from Rodger Winn of Little Mountain, South Carolina, in 2009. He told me that this pumpkin had been grown in his area as long as anyone could remember. Before mechanization, farmers would plow and plant their corn. When the corn got up about a foot high they would plant these pumpkins on the edges of the corn. They grew quickly, serving to suppress weeds. Once the corn matured and stopped growing, the pumpkin vines would overtake the corn, growing through it and over it, effectively shading out any weeds which might have wanted to invade. After frost the farmers would harvest both the pumpkins and corn. Most of the pumpkins were used to feed stock. But many were also eaten by people.
I have never tried it. But Rodger also told me that he has fond memories of his mother making pumpkin pie from the green fruit of this pumpkin. I’ve always used them when they are mature. There is one exception to having "used them mature:" I have found that the very immature fruit are pretty decent as summer squash, which is really good, as summer squash generally get butchered, here, by squash vine borers.
I first tried this squash after Rodger and I corresponded about Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin. He offered to send me some seed to compare with it. I planted eight in one of my gardens in 2009. This one amazed us with its rampant growth and high production. It grew so rampantly that it actually smothered Bermuda grass. At the end of the season, we had hundreds of pounds of buff colored pumpkins, which made for very good eating.
Since 2009 Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin has proven itself, repeatedly, to be well suited to our hot, dry summers. It's dependable.
Now, there are other squash out there which should also be dependable in our conditions. I've trialed Seminole, which is equally heat resistant and productive. Seminole may actually be a little better for long term storage, and I am positive, after months of storage, that Seminole is sweeter. But Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin is a champ. We love it. I process them through the fall and early winter, bagging frozen squash and freezing it for later use. One really nice feature of this squash, which I have yet to actually try out, is that it would be entirely suitable for Jack 'O Lanterns around Halloween. I can't bring myself to carve and waste one. But this would be a fantastic specialty crop for our area. It's resistant to our pests and thrives in our conditions. It's super productive and could be carved for Halloween. A road side stand with these would probably do extremely well, due to their unique color and history. This would also be a great one to grow with children, as both the plants' growth and production is so spectacular. It would make a gardener out of any kid!
Sandhill Preservation Center has been selling this seed for some time.
I received my Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin seed from Rodger Winn of Little Mountain, South Carolina, in 2009. He told me that this pumpkin had been grown in his area as long as anyone could remember. Before mechanization, farmers would plow and plant their corn. When the corn got up about a foot high they would plant these pumpkins on the edges of the corn. They grew quickly, serving to suppress weeds. Once the corn matured and stopped growing, the pumpkin vines would overtake the corn, growing through it and over it, effectively shading out any weeds which might have wanted to invade. After frost the farmers would harvest both the pumpkins and corn. Most of the pumpkins were used to feed stock. But many were also eaten by people.
I have never tried it. But Rodger also told me that he has fond memories of his mother making pumpkin pie from the green fruit of this pumpkin. I’ve always used them when they are mature. There is one exception to having "used them mature:" I have found that the very immature fruit are pretty decent as summer squash, which is really good, as summer squash generally get butchered, here, by squash vine borers.
I first tried this squash after Rodger and I corresponded about Warsaw Buff Pie Pumpkin. He offered to send me some seed to compare with it. I planted eight in one of my gardens in 2009. This one amazed us with its rampant growth and high production. It grew so rampantly that it actually smothered Bermuda grass. At the end of the season, we had hundreds of pounds of buff colored pumpkins, which made for very good eating.
Since 2009 Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin has proven itself, repeatedly, to be well suited to our hot, dry summers. It's dependable.
Now, there are other squash out there which should also be dependable in our conditions. I've trialed Seminole, which is equally heat resistant and productive. Seminole may actually be a little better for long term storage, and I am positive, after months of storage, that Seminole is sweeter. But Old Timey Cornfield Pumpkin is a champ. We love it. I process them through the fall and early winter, bagging frozen squash and freezing it for later use. One really nice feature of this squash, which I have yet to actually try out, is that it would be entirely suitable for Jack 'O Lanterns around Halloween. I can't bring myself to carve and waste one. But this would be a fantastic specialty crop for our area. It's resistant to our pests and thrives in our conditions. It's super productive and could be carved for Halloween. A road side stand with these would probably do extremely well, due to their unique color and history. This would also be a great one to grow with children, as both the plants' growth and production is so spectacular. It would make a gardener out of any kid!
Sandhill Preservation Center has been selling this seed for some time.
