The Farm..Cooking, Gardening & Much More

[barefootgardener]

Black Futsu Winter Squash.. (C. moschata) Flattened, round, black Japanese squash. This variety has very heavy ribbing and is quit beautiful. It starts out a soft beautiful gray color that darkens to a green/blue and black. As it ripens to the curing stage it will turn an orange brown/chestnut color. I have not tasted one yet since I just picked a couple today. I have many different sizes still on the vine. We had frost last Saturday, so part to half of the vine is brown, but the stems are still green.

Ginny

[barefootgardener]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Now you have done it how dare you show a pictuer of my favorite watermelon.
Your going on report.

Worth

It is one of my favorites also. Very easy to grow and ripen in my area, at least before a hard frost most of the time
.

I would share if ya lived closer..

Ginny

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by barefootgardener

One of my favorite watermelons.. Wonderful fruity flavor.

Those OrangleGlo are awesome! My boy and I just shared a Diana from my garden for bfast and it was outstanding.

[barefootgardener]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

Those OrangleGlo are awesome! My boy and I just shared a Diana from my garden for bfast and it was outstanding.

I will have to look that one up Gerardo.. It is wonderful you are teaching your son about gardening and where real food comes from. To share a melon together for breakfast is a great way to start your day together..

Ginny

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by barefootgardener

I will have to look that one up Gerardo.. It is wonderful you are teaching your son about gardening and where real food comes from. To share a melon together for breakfast is a great way to start your day together..

Ginny

I'm lucky because he's a vegetable and fruit eating machine. He'll turn 4 in Dec and he's already 20 kilos, on a lean frame I might add. He usually gobbles up at least two dozen ( or however many are ripe) cherry tomatoes for bfast. His absolute favorites are Green Dr's Frosted, Mt. Magic, and Eva Purple Ball (not quite a cherry).

One of his favorite activities is watering the plants. And even though he splashes everything and provides fungal heaven, I let him go crazy with the hose.

He's very much aware as to where food comes from. We have a great time cleaning and fileting our catch from the sea.

Here's Diana, relatively small, early, productive, few seeds, and very sweet: https://www.westcoastseeds.com/shop/...ermelon-seeds/

[efisakov]

Ginny, great looking watermelon and Winter Squash. I have not tasted yellow watermelon in my life. Have to try it now. I am surprised that it has enough sun and days to mature so far north. How much space does it take to grow?
Glad you liked zucchini pancakes. Bacon is always a great addition to any dish.

[barefootgardener]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

I'm lucky because he's a vegetable and fruit eating machine. He'll turn 4 in Dec and he's already 20 kilos, on a lean frame I might add. He usually gobbles up at least two dozen ( or however many are ripe) cherry tomatoes for bfast. His absolute favorites are Green Dr's Frosted, Mt. Magic, and Eva Purple Ball (not quite a cherry).

One of his favorite activities is watering the plants. And even though he splashes everything and provides fungal heaven, I let him go crazy with the hose.

He's very much aware as to where food comes from. We have a great time cleaning and fileting our catch from the sea.

Here's Diana, relatively small, early, productive, few seeds, and very sweet: https://www.westcoastseeds.com/shop/...ermelon-seeds/

Your son is adorable! My grandson turned six this year and he loves to help me in the garden. He likes to take over the watering for me also. I let him. He does a fine job, then he gets that twinkle and a bit of mischief in his eyes that say "grandma looks like she could use some cooling off!!", LOL..

I looked at the link you posted. Diana is a beauty. She is small, but she must be sweet since she has a high brix index. It would be a perfect one too grow, especially in a small space.



Ginny

[barefootgardener]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Ginny, great looking watermelon and Winter Squash. I have not tasted yellow watermelon in my life. Have to try it now. I am surprised that it has enough sun and days to mature so far north. How much space does it take to grow?
Glad you liked zucchini pancakes. Bacon is always a great addition to any dish.

Ella, the Orangeglo is a fantastic watermelon. I start a few seeds in the house a few weeks before the last frost, and set them out after the ground is warm. I still direct seed a few hills also. We get plenty of sun in the summer, and we had record breaking heat this summer. If my season was longer, I bet the melons would grow larger! The vines probably spread out around ten to fourteen feet in different directions.

I have not tried black plastic to warm up the soil, but maybe next year I will.

[Zenbaas]

Originally Posted by Old chef

I'm a little late in this thread. Is there a recipe for Roasted Black Tomato Bacon Jam?
Please share

Old Chef

And I'm even later But yes it looks amazing. Growing three black varieties this year so please do share(or maybe a link to one you like?) if you have a moment to spare

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by barefootgardener

Your son is adorable! My grandson turned six this year and he loves to help me in the garden. He likes to take over the watering for me also. I let him. He does a fine job, then he gets that twinkle and a bit of mischief in his eyes that say "grandma looks like she could use some cooling off!!", LOL..

I looked at the link you posted. Diana is a beauty. She is small, but she must be sweet since she has a high brix index. It would be a perfect one too grow, especially in a small space.



Ginny

Boys love mischief. Diana is great, if sweet is your thing then this one packs a punch. Pretty high Brix #.

[raindrops27]

My oh my this has got to be the best thread ever!

[barefootgardener]

Originally Posted by Zenbaas

And I'm even later But yes it looks amazing. Growing three black varieties this year so please do share(or maybe a link to one you like?) if you have a moment to spare

Well, here is the recipe close to what I remember and used..

Roast 4-5# of black tomatoes with one large sweet onion, and 8 cloves of garlic. Roast for one hour or until the tomatoes are soft and have burst with juice. When cool slightly, peel skin off tomatoes.

In the meanwhile cook 1 1/2 pounds of bacon till crisp. Crumble and set aside.

Put roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion in a large heavy bottom pot, do not add the extra liquid from the bottom of the roaster.

Add 2 cups of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 4 TBSP. of white vinegar, 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. salt, bacon, 1 TBSP. ground coriander and some fresh chopped basil leaves (optional). Bring to full boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly. When the jam thickens and reaches a temperature of 220 degrees, it is ready. Laddle jam into clean sterilized pint size jars and process like you would normally with a pressure canner. Or you can put in freezer safe jars or containers and freeze.

Ginny

[Zenbaas]

Thank you very much Ginny.! Will definitely be trying this out this year. Can't wait

[barefootgardener]

Black Futsu winter squash harvest..

Ginny

[barefootgardener]

Tetsukabuto winter squash harvest..

Ginny