Storing Winter Squash

Nothing beats fresh pumpkin pie at dinner in January. How about a fresh baked acorn squash in February?
Storing winter squash is easy. Most store well right into March. However, the process begins in the fall.
In order for winter squash to store well, you must let the vine die with the fruit still on it. You then pick it, and leave it out for a couple of weeks to let the rind harden up. Remember to take them in before a heavy frost.
If you aren’t lucky enough to have a root cellar, you can simply use a dark corner of your basement. Be sure to store them up off the ground. Make sure they have plenty of air circulation to prevent early rotting. You can even store them in a cold hallway, or unheated mudroom. Just be sure to keep them out of direct light.
Varieties of winter squash would include pumpkin, acorn squash, buttercup squash, butternut squash, blue hubbard, turban squash, pink banana and others.
Stored well, these squashes should take you through until spring when the first spring greens are coming up.