I/610Jkreb2kL.jpg' alt='Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 2011 Nfl' title='Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 2011 Nfl' />Gem squash central how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them Cooksister. No doubt my non South African readers are scratching their head and asking what the hell is a gem squash and why do we need a whole post dedicated to them. Well, let me tell you it is probably the thing that South Africans abroad crave the most, and one of the more frustratingly unobtainable. In fact, when my half sister emigrated to France in the 1. France wth her and planted them in her garden there, just so that she could have a steady supply. Biltong is made in most countries where Saffers congregate to get boerewors, all you need is a good spice blend and a tame butcher to make it for you and rooibos tea has practically conquered the world. But gem squashes seem to be the holy grail for expat South Africans, judging by the deluge of comments that have followed my two previous posts on them. So what is this mythical vegetable of which I speak  Gem squash similar or possibly identical to rolet squash, 8 ball squash or courgettes ronde originated in Central America and belongs to the botanical genus Cucurbita, which includes melons and can be subdivided into Cucurbita maxima Hubbard squash and buttercup squash Cucurbita mixta cushaw squash Cucurbita moschata butternut squash and Cucurbita pepo to which gem squashes belong, together with most pumpkins, acorn squash, marrows and cucumbers. More generally, though, squashes are categorised as summer or winter squash, which has little to do with their time of availability, but rather their time of harvesting and degree of maturity at harvesting. WInter squashes are generally left until the end of summer before they are harvested, making their skin tough and making it possible to store them for consumption at a later date. Summer squashes, on the other hand, are picked when they are still young and tender. They need little or no cooking e. Included in this family would also be the wonderful pattypan squash also called scallop squash which was a staple food back home but not something Ive seen generally available in UK supermarkets Gem squash falls into the summer squash category, but I must say that the gem squashes vary greatly in terms of how thick their skin is  a function of how early or late they were picked. The ones we get in we get in South Africa often sold by the roadside in 5 or 1. In the UK, however, they live up to their summer squash description and the skin is often soft enough to eat once cooked. In South Africa we also get baby gems approximately the size of ping pong balls and cooked in the blink of an eye. You just eat the whole thing, no mess, no fuss and they are SO sweet and delicious. So if the supermarkets dont sell them, the only way forward is to grow your own. Judging by the number of queries I have received, lots of expats want to know how to grow gem squash, so here is a little guide, collated from various websites and reader comments. GROWING GEM SQUASHChoose your location wisely as gem squash need a lot of space to grow. Crock Pot Cubed Steak with Gravy is the ultimate nofuss weeknight dinner recipe. Tender, flavorful and goes perfect with some mashed potatoesThey send out long vines and will take over your vegetable patch if you allow them to. Some growers construct A frame trelisses for the vines to trail on which keeps the plants off the rest of your garden, and the fruit off the ground where they might rot. They are not frost tolerant and require temperatures of between 1. C to 2. 7C for optimum growth. The frost free growing season in the northern hemisphere is roughly between April and November. Sow your gem squash in the sunniest spot in your garden particularly in colder countries, in rich, well drained soil. Add some compost to the soil before sowing for best results and sow the seeds in rows, 2cm deep and 1m apart. Keep the soil moist, but not waterlogged as this will cause the seeds to rot. Mulching is not necessary as the large leaves of the squash plant provide similar protection from moisture loss. A handy hint from reader UK Stephen Brosin is to dig the planting hole far too big, place a handful or two of 3 4 day old grass clippings in the hole, add some compost and some slow release fertilizer and then plant your seedlings on top. If you have a compost heap, grow your Gems on the heapGem squashes have similar growing requirements to cucumbers and prefer organic liquid feeds high in potassium. Blixen is a restaurant in the style of the European grand cafs, with a focus on beautiful design, consistent quality and the true spirit of hospitality. Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 2011 HyundaiHARVESTING GEM SQUASHHarvest takes place in early Autumn. If you are planning to keep the squashes for a while, the fruit is ripe and ready to be picked when the skin is too hard to pierce with your fingernails. However, it is unlikely that you will get to this stage in the cool Northern Hemisphere see below for the problem of powdery mildew, so probably better pick to pick them as soon as they approach the size of tennis balls or even earlier, regardless of how soft the skin is. If growing Rolet F1 squash, UK reader Stephen Brosin says Rolet F1, if left just a bit too long, gives a very fibrous squash not at all like a pukka Gem. When picked young, however, the Rolet F1 makes a very passable substitute and is most enjoyable. GEM SQUASH PESTSThe one problem that WILL arise wnhen growing gem squash or butternuts, courgettes and cucumbers in cool climates is powdery mildew, a fungus which strikes later in the growing season. Pulitzer Foundation For The Arts Pdf on this page. The growing season simply is not long enough and the onset of the cooler weather stresses the plants which makes them vulnerable to mildew for which there is no cure. To try and fight the onset of powdery mildew, readers have sent the following tips Grow the plants in full sun. Take care not to wet the leaves when watering rather make sure you water the soil directly, not the plant. If possible, construct a temporary greenhouse over the plants with wooden battens and clear polythene sheeting, to keep water and cold winds off the plants. Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 2011 RamA recipe blog featuring familyfriendly, budgetfriendly, timetested recipes by two busy mother runners. Cookbook, Cookbooks, Calendars. Gooseberry Patch is a leading publisher of cookbooks, calendars, organizers and craft ideas. We have over 150 titles including. The coloring books I picked up are about 7. The dimensions below are sized to fit this size coloring bookpad and 4 crayons. When you type in what you have on hand, Cookn will search your recipe database and tell you what you can make for dinner but to do this you must have recipes in your. Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Easily share your publications and get. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Reader Ed says Gardeners and farmers in the USA use a fungicide containing myclobutanil for it. In the UK it is only approved for ornamental plants and fruit trees but I figured if its good enough for American gardeners I should give it a goSome gardeners have experienced success by spraying affected leaves with a mixture of 1 part skim or low fat milk to 9 parts water a 1. Others say that 1 tsp. L of baking powder sodium bicarbonate dissolved in 1 quart just under a liter and sprayed on the leaves will knock it back. Sarpy County Diversion Program. Although these may slow the powdery miildew, they will not kill it, but at least the plant may survive long enough to mature your crop. Cut off badly affected leaves to encourage air flow and light to all parts of the plant. GEM SQUASH SEEDSIf you are lucky enough to have grown a mature crop of gem squash, then you can harvest seeds from the fruit before cooking and grow more next year. Reader keith Meintjies has this advice To harvest the seeds Leave the squash on the vine until the vines die back, or buy mature squash that are not all green but have a touch of yelloworange colour on their skin. Halve the squash, and scoop out the seeds before cooking. Europe Map Shape File S more. Rinse the seeds to remove them from the squash strands. Dry the seeds at room temperature for a week or so, then store them in a resealable plastic bag or old plastic 3. GEM SQUASH NUTRITIONAL VALUEThe gem squash is low in calories and contains useful amounts of vitamin A and C, as well as iron, folate, potassium and niacin.