It was a tough Winter for these rare beauties, but these are some of the success stories from the first season of seed saving ultra rare squash from around the world.
These are part of an effort to save some of the world’s rare food crops from extinction.
The Spring harvest: Rocker’s, Kikuza,Hawaiian Butternut, and Black Kabocha
Well after 15 years plus of drought in the area, it is now the rainiest season in years. This well timed ultra rare squash from Armenia burst through it’s protective paper bag as it absorbed the gorgeous rain. I use brown (8 lb) lunch bags to shield against the “double whammy” of Pickle worm and the tropical Melon (Fruit)fly.
Bringing a bit style to my deliveries are the baskets the I use. I have tried my best to make a sustainable, stylish solution to delivering to the chefs of Hawaii. They have loved the vintage style that both the car and the baskets add to their day. I have even been asked to leave my ol’ little car out in front of Merriman’s restaurant at their 25th anniversary party. Both “Pixie”the car and the delivery basket brimming with squash are featured on this month’s special 4-course squash menu at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.
Both examples prove that an inexpensive, stylish, zero-waste solution comes in ahead of mainstream produce marketing. Rethink your marketing and delivery system and you may win by creating a big cost savings for your farm, and a meaningful connection with your customers. Do it your own way…guerilla style.
It isn’t my nature, but I have been slinking around like a true guerilla with my sites on the fruit fly population. I wrote a 4 page essay on my findings, that I will spare you for now. I will unleash it on my readers soon enough. As some of you bundle up, and pour through your seed catalogs in hopes of Spring, perhaps dreaming about lands where there there is no true Winter, let me remind you, here in Hawaii we have the same brutal Agricultural pests as the Congo. I wish I were joking. One soon learns why 90% of our veggies are shipped in from Fruit fly free localities. Here in Hawaii we are in the heart of yet another fruit fly “bloom” (they can have 8 to 9 cycles within the Calendar year. ) I refuse to be defeated. Who knows, maybe outsmarting tropical pests will be my legacy. It isn’t glamorous, but it is true. OK back to the war…
Three waves of determined effort are necessary, and well, a continuous parts of your growing practice here in Alohaland.
Clean crop practice: I bag the stung squash in reused metallic coffee bags that my Starbuck’s Grounds for your Garden come in. I then place them in the sun for a couple hours before they are dropped into a sealed bucket where they will die and decompose in the weeks again.
Lures: The men are targeted and lured by the use of the right scent for the right fly ( sorry guys.) Though Oriental Fruit fly does not attack squash, they are on the property in large numbers, so I am taking them out for the benefit of someone’s crops. They may be feeding on a neighbor farm. The mean, but gorgeous Melon fly is my leopard spotted enemy. Cure lure is their bait. See reused cup trap image in prior post for the general idea. Homemade traps have cleared hundreds of males from the two varieties, with the bulk being Oriental Fruit Fly.
Bag…no double bag ’em: I have used my fledgling Blue Hubbard as a case study plant, trying out all kinds of strategies. So far, my vote is for a quick, but meaningful hand pollination followed by a parafin wax baggie, topped with a brown paper lunch bag. Driven by scent, this seems to be a good solution so far.
Dark green, with light green and gold freckles, Dream Keeper is a new organic squash that I created by cross-pollinating two strong C. Moschata strains. The result…a beauty that is virtually mildew and bug proof without sprays. On the inside she is as gorgeous as a Hawaiian sunset.
(Left: a May 1 image of the month old farm, at Right: the same view with additional planting beds fully realized six months later.)
One quarter acre all filled out after 7 months of farming. We can do it, everyone! Every inch of soil…and it is now deep rich soil, was lovingly built with one woman (me,) one shovel, and a fair bit of focus.
Educators, here is your chance to have your classroom filled with heirloom squash. I am booking visits to classrooms on Hawaii Island in the month of October. Please contact me about availability and potential lesson plan ideas.
Squash and Awe 