By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern
Year after year, whenever fall rolls around, the hype and obsession surrounding pumpkins begins. Pumpkin pies, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin candles, pumpkin décor, pumpkin lotions, and soaps, carved pumpkins, the list is endless. While pumpkins are definitely cute, and the pumpkin-flavored drinks and pumpkin-scented candles are all amazing, there’s plenty of other fall squash that deserve some attention too! 
Arizona produces lots of different vegetables, pumpkins, and other squashes included! Here are 8 varieties of squash that grow well in Arizona and are harvested from September to November.
- Acorn Squash – Has a sweet flesh that is great stuffed or baked.
- Buttercup Squash – Small squash that are great for baking or mashing.
- Delicata Squash – A thin-skinned squash that can be cooked and eaten without peeling.
- Dumpling Squash – Tiny mini squash often used for decorating. But are great baked, grilled, or steamed.
- Kabocha Squash – Large and very hard and tough outside but has a velvety flesh.
- Butternut Squash – A very versatile squash great for baking, roasting, and sautéing.
- Spaghetti Squash – Once baked, the inner strands resemble spaghetti noodles.
While some are better for certain cooking methods than others, most squash are very versatile and can be baked, steamed, grilled, roasted, sautéed, mashed, or used as a base for soups. Also, all squash is a great source of antioxidants, vitamins A, B6, and C, potassium, fiber, and some omega-3 fatty acids. They can be stored for a month or more.
Some of these varieties such as acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash, you can find in your local grocery store, while others such as dumplings, delicata, and kabocha are more of a specialty variety found in farmers’ markets.
So, give other varieties of squash a place in your fall décor and meal rotation! They are delicious, nutritious, and grown locally!
For more articles like this, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!