Lofthouse Landrace Moschata

Crop: Squash (Cucurbita moschata)

Use/Type: Winter

Breeder: Joseph Lofthouse

OSSI Pledge Date: 10/16/2015

Release Date: 10/16/2015

Bred for Organic Systems: Yes

Commercial Availability: Yes

Variety Type: Finished Variety

Description

LOFTHOUSE LANDRACE MOSCHATA, winter squash (Cucurbita moschata). Joseph Lofthouse wanted to grow butternuts or other moschatas on his homestead on a mountain in Utah, but none would ripen in his short season nor stand up to his blazing hot summers. So he mixed every moschata variety he could find together in one field, let them all intercross, and selected rigorously for earliness year after year. The result is this very early vigorous landrace. Round pumpkins and butternuts of all shapes range from about 4 to 25 lbs. Most are good culinary quality, and just slightly sweet, so great for salads, soups, stews, and stir-fries. (Other squash are better for sweet dishes. But this squash, being not so sweet, is actually a better day in day out staple.) Huge vines. Very productive. Matures even in cold summers in the maritime Northwest. Keeps well. Cure one month before eating. (Note: With butternut shaped squash, you can cut off what you need of the neck, let the neck veins bleed for a few minutes, then spread the sap around the cut surface with your clean finger, which seals it so that the cut squash will keep weeks at room temperature. You don’t need to use the whole squash at once. This means you can afford to grow the big squash that are most efficient to handle, store, and prepare.) Bred by Joseph Lofthouse. Seed saving info: isolate from other Cucurbita moschata and from Cucurbita mixta.

Availability from OSSI Seed Company Partners