Pumpkin, Winter Squash 'Sweet Keeper'

I grew Sweet Keeper Squash one year, it was the most amazing vine. Very long and prolific. I didn't know much about the squash, but whe...Read Moren I opened my first one because it was growing in the fence, I noticed how beautiful the bright orange color was. I had to cook it, I steamed it with the skin on. And to my suprise it was incredibility delicious. I put butter on the cooked squash, and ate the skin too. I love this squash for the texture. It's rather dry and "meaty", not like most squash when cooked get runny. The texture is excellent and the taste is good. The best part of this squash is it will take on the taste of whatever you cook with it. Kind of like soaks up favors. And so healthy, I wish more farmer's markets would offer it. I've never seen it at a market. I think it's the best squash out there. I tried growing it this last year and the field mice chewed on the vines and killed them. I'll try again this spring.

"Vigorous vines" is an understatement. I had one vine grow (accidentally) up into a 10' tall rhododendron bush and set fruit. Fortunate...Read Morely the squash got large enough and sagged down so I didn't need a ladder to get it. Most of mine went to a neighbor whose crop of "Sweet Meat" failed early in the year. The only negative that I have ever heard was that the meat is drier than most squash so some people add cream or half and half and whip it up with a mixer. A friend whose children hated squash loved eating "orange mashed potatoes".

Available from Seeds of Change, which describes as follows; "If you like a large squash, we recommend this one. A Seeds of Change selecti...Read Moreon, it has a deep-orange color and is high in beta carotene. The vines are like the ones in Jack in the Beanstalk, some runners growing 25-30 ft. long! 10-15 pound flattened globes are a prime choice for pumpkin pie. Stores magnificently, into spring. (95-105 days)"