Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that I like to grow squash, lots of squash. Over the past couple of years I have grown many different kinds in search of the perfect squash. Well, I think I have found it!
This is the Hopi Black squash. It's very large! I know it's not black now, but it is black when it's young, as it is in this picture.
It is as large as a big hubbard, but the skin is easier to peel and can be cut with a knife, as opposed to an axe. I have to use an axe or a hammer to cut into a hubbard squash.
The Hopi Black squash is very sweet, dense and delicious. It has a small seed cavity with a lot of meat.
The meat is a much darker orange than any squash I have seen. There's a big difference in the colour. Does this mean it has more beta carrotene? I wish I could find more information on that!
This is a very old, rare and hard to find heirloom squash. It was grown by the Hopi Indians generations ago. It produced as much cooked and finished squash for the freezer as I got from 4-5 small ambercups.
This will be the only squash I grow for our family in the future. It's very large, meaty, soft skinned, sweet, delicious and easy to grow. It does have a long growing season so I will start them early indoors, but that's fun anyway.
I may plant many different types in the big field next year for a "pic your own" squash and pumpkin field...maybe, but this will be the only one I grow for processing by us.
23 comments:
I love squash and use them as I do pumpkin in pie. That is a lovely dark orange color. I would think it meant that there's lots of beta carotine in it. Will you be selling any of the seeds?
very interesting..i love squash too and it is nice to find one you really enjoy ..
Wow, what a fine looking squash, I love the dark flesh.
That all looks good!
It's reallly good squash. I will probably have seeds for sale next year when I have pure seed.
This year's crop was open pollinated.
I will definitely keep my eyes out for this one. Thank you!
~Faith
Well, I just did a search for the seeds. I could not find much of anything, but YOU came up under the search.
So I guess that makes you the world's foremost leading expert on the Hopi Black. LOL
~Faith
Lol! Faith, it is rare! I went through a lot to get them and I was really looking for the Hopi pale gray and was just sent seeds for the "Black" with them, on the side. I wasn't impressed with the Hopi pale gray. Not only is the skin a pale gray but the inside is very pale too. I'll stick to the Hopi black.
I guess I'll plant a lot for seed next year :-)
The color is so rich!
All pumpkins are squash but not all squash are pumpkins. Do the black Hopi squash keep as well as the Hubbard?
They seem to. Our's were still good until we processed the last of them around mid-Jan.
wow that is one huge squash share please sue
Hi Sue!
I will have these seeds for sale in the seed store this fall, provided all grows well, of course, and it seems to be.
I would like to have some Hopi Squash seeds have never seen this squash before. I live in north east Georgia, love to garden and had a small garden this year. Plan on having a bigger one next year. Thanks Ellen e-mail is ellen@eyeopened.com
I have this seed for sale now in my seed store :-)
Access from top of left column
Sheryl, I found two videos of a woman growing what she claims are "vlack hopi" squash, but they look different than the ones you are growing. Do you think you can identify the ones she has?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmqJUJzewxo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42zdNpLibtI
I am not an expert on squash varieties but these are my guesses:
Her's are that colour because they are not ripe yet. Mine are green, then black, then gray when I pick them. I start mine early indoors then put them in a sunny window when I bring them inside in the fall to turn orange early so I can get seeds to sell in autumn instead of waiting until late winter, when they usually ripen if direct planted and left to age in the cellar.
Her's are a bit flatter than most of mine but that may be because mine usually grow on their side. I am always afraid I will break the stem if I turn them.
Then there are always the changes brought about by select breeding. I've been growing mine from my own seed for a few years now. I keep seed form the largest, dryest, roundest, smoothest best squash for myself to plant the following year.
Hi Sheryl, it's me again.
Just thought you should know a few things. First that video where i was asking about another lady's squash i think were actually "Hopi Black Green" which are a cushaw type.
Also, i am wondering if Hopi Black might actually be a sub variety of Musquee de Provence which is a Cucurbita moschata. Your thoughts on this?
-Andrew
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8314/8058377987_95f863db41.jpg
:) I only got one, but i did get one. Thanks for the seeds Sheryl!
-Andrew
Thank you for posting a picture of this squash you call a black hopi squash! There was a great sale at the store tonight and it looked like it might be a good squash-dense and heavy. I had never seen this type before so did a search on images and found the image you posted. Thank you very much!! Theresa from Oregon
Hello,
I am wondering if you have any seeds for the Black Hopi squash that you could sell to me?
Hello,
I know this post is from 2010... but I am hoping...
Do you have any seeds of the Black Hopi Squash you can sell?
Thank you.
Unfortunately, I don't have any this year. I hope to have a lot of them next fall, 2014. Send me an email at that time and I might have some for sale.
-Sheryl
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