Cucurbita moschata
Delicious and convenient single-meal-sized keepers.
Squashes were once too large, too bitter, and too seedy for humans to stomach. But mastodons had different tastes, giant molars, and bigger guts. Their stature also had a huge impact on the soil, creating disturbances that were ideal squash habitat. After the megafauna faded, it was humans who created a niche in their gardens in which squash could survive.
This delightful mini butternut was bred at Cornell University. It's a butternut for the smaller garden and the modest appetite. These little plants produce miniature butternut squashes, much more squat than the standard, but with excellent flavor and texture. A treat for those who thought they couldn't fit a winter squash into their gardens.
The Package
Each year, Hudson Valley Seeds commissions contemporary artists from around the United States to tell the story of a particular seed variety. That art and those seeds combine to create an Art Pack, a unique celebration of the diverse stories of seeds and their stewards.
The Artist
Artwork by Valerie Lueth. With her gorgeous, animated, and intensely detailed woodcuts, artist Valerie Lueth of Tugboat Printshop keeps alive an ancient art tradition while adding her own distinctive tastes and talents to the mix, much like the work of plant breeders.
