Winter Squash, Lower Salmon River (Organic)
Cucurbita maxima. 90 days.
Lower Salmon River squash is on the short list of heritage Pacific Northwest winter squash varieties. Grown in the Lower Salmon River region of Idaho, possibly for generations, it is uniquely adapted to our bioregion. Plants love it here in western Oregon and are pretty high yielding. Deep orange, sweet flesh is flakier and drier than Sweet Meat. Delicious for pies and soup or even served sliced as a side dish with butter. The salmon pink colored skin is very thick with light mottling. Almost woody rind helps the fruit store for up to one year under ideal conditions and discourages nibbling by mice and deer. Hard rind can be susceptible to cracking if over-watered late in the season, definitely harvest before the fall rains begin. Fruit are generally 3-10 lbs, with an occasional jumbo 15 pounder. Some fruit have a buttercup shape (more turban like) and others have a kabocha shape (less turban like). We select for both in our stock seed, liking both shapes and the slight thematic variability is part of its integrity. During squash tasting events held by the Culinary Breeding Network, Lower Salmon River was a big flavor winner: “The texture was on point in each cooking method [raw, steamed, roasted]….will perform well in a variety of processes including a quick and mild pickle, sweet and sour, simple preparations such as roasted, skin on slices or cubed and cooked with hearty herbs and spices. Great squash for home and restaurant alike.” Wow! Original seed sourced from Nicki Maxwell, a friend of The Seed Ambassadors Project who has worked to preserve Pacific Northwest heritage varieties through the Eugene chapter of Slow Food and the Ark of Taste project.
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Sow indoors in 2-4” pots with good potting soil May through mid-June. Transplant into the garden 1-2 weeks after sprouting to 2-3’ centers and 6′ wide rows. May also be direct sown when soil is warm. Young plants are sensitive, we recommend row cover to protect from frost and insects.
Seed Saving
To save seed, scoop out seeds when you eat the fruit. Rinse off and dry. Isolate from other squash of the same species by at least ½ mile.
Jim Holt (verified owner) –
Where did you grow this variety? Washington
I planted several hills of Lower Salmon River on May 11, 2020. Germination was about 50%, the Spring was cool & wet here in Everett, WA.
The 7 or 8 plants grew vigorously with 2 or 3 vines, 5-to-8 feet long per plant. The garden was not fenced, and deer nibbled one of the immature squash, though the wound healed itself thoroughly. I harvested 2 mature squash on September 18th and 6 more on October 4th. I was intrigued by the claim that these squash could store for up to a year, so I limited my consumption to test this. The squash is good quality, tasty and versatile for the usual culinary uses. I roast halves of the squash, sometimes baking it with maple syrup in the cavities and covered with foil. I eat the roasted squash as a side dish and use the leftovers in squash soup in a base of chicken broth with sautéed onion, adding a little cream and butter to finish it. No complaints on taste or texture – all good. Several squash did begin to spoil in the Spring of 2021 (check the blossom scar for mold as the first indication of spoilage) and I was able to cut out the bad areas and use the squash. But, it is now September 27, 2021 and I have 2 squash remaining in good condition, though one feels lighter weight, so it may be drying out. I will cut open and roast the heavier one soon to check it’s quality (I have a new crop ready to harvest). A squash that stores at room temperature, sitting on the dining room window sills for 12 months, retaining its quality ain’t bad, folks.
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Crystal (verified owner) –
Where did you grow this variety? Washington
I haven’t eaten any of these beauties yet, but wanted to comment on pnw (wa) growth in this odd summer/”fall” of wacky climate change weather.
These vines did great! I mostly trellised them, which they took to easily and supported themselves nicely.
The one vine I grew flat gad to Duke it out with delicatta, red buckwheat volunteers, and two every happy/aggressive Canadian crookneck and grew a monster and several smaller squash despite that treatment.
Strongly recommend!
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devon.brewer (verified owner) –
Where did you grow this variety? Washington
I have grown these for two years in the Puget Sound region. I’d estimate germination for me averaged around 90% or better. They are very productive. In 2023, my 25 plants yielded 101 squash, and they averaged about 8 or 9 pounds per fruit. In 2022, my 6 plants produced about 5-10 times more food per plant and area than the Doran Round and Honey Boat Delicata winter squash grown in identical conditions. As others have noted, the Lower Salmon River squash keep well for many months. This year, I’m keeping them inside my house at around 67F, and by late January only one had spoiled, due to a wound it suffered at harvest time that I didn’t notice. I still have about 50 to process.
I eat them steamed, baked, and dried. The dried squash chips are amazing and addictive. So are steamed and dried immature squash fruits — better to harvest and eat them than watch most of them wither as each plant dedicates its resources to a handful of fruits. Also, the leaves and stems make very tasty greens, sauteed/stir fried. In addition, the seeds are a good snack after drying or baking. I plan to grind some into meal and press some into oil.
I call these squash “Idaho gold.” They are now a permanent dietary staple for me.
Thank you, Adaptive Seeds!
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