When Gracie Lee’s Momma let the girls buy seed packets at Savage Crossing Hardware, Gracie Lee chose spaceship squash for obvious reasons—the squash looked like a flying saucer and flying saucers were intriguing. The variety was really called patty pan squash. The odd name caught her attention too.
Patty pan squash is a “bush” squash meaning is doesn’t vine like other squash varieties, but grows in more of a bush shape. I’m excited to grow it this summer in the back of my yard where the sun blazes for hours. Cooking Light has some amazing recipes using this particular squash variety. The nutritional value alone should be enough to get anyone interested in it. One cup of patty pan squash is loaded with 43% of your daily Vitamin C requirement, 5 grams of fiber, and no cholesterol. Boom. All that for only 38 calories…
They look like pumpkin seeds, don’t you think? But they aren’t. These spaceship squash seeds are just like the ones Gracie Lee planted. I’ll be giving away Spaceship Squash Seeds to anyone who can join me at my next two Arkansas book signings in Batesville (April 9, Paper Chase Books) and Jonesboro (April 10, Barnes & Noble).
In case you are curious and haven’t read the book, Gracie Lee never harvested her flying saucer squash because of a garden catastrophe…
What would Gracie do? She’d come see me, bring friends, and grab some seeds! Even if you don’t garden, you can share them with a community garden, your local seed bank, or cool gardener friend. Perfect timing, too, because Earth Day is April 22. And while everyday should be Earth Day, that’s the specific day set aside for everyone to commune with nature no matter the weather. A common Earth Day practice is to plant trees, of course planting squash would be just fine too.
If you’d like more information about any of my upcoming book signings, click HERE.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]What would Gracie Lee do? She’d plant spaceship squash for #EarthDay2016 @EarthDayNetwork #NWARKcares @BNBuzz[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
The Twilight Zone Theme
I’m going to look for it in the grocery store and try it; although I’m sure it would be very satisfying to grow your own.
Thanks, Dorothy. It may be hard to find so let me know.
We planted some once, probably for similar reasons that Gracie Lee planted hers: they looked cool and I talked my father into getting the seeds. 🙂 Ours actually produced squash, though.
My mother cut them very thin, battered them, and fried them in oil just like we would yellow summer squash. I remember them being VERY tasty. But anything battered and fried in oil is very tasty. 🙂
Yes, anything battered and fried is yummo.
I may have to try some Spaceship Squash, just for Gracie. Enjoyed the blog.