As a beginner landracer, adaptive gardener, seed saver, my first impulse was to grow everything, and save every seed, and just dream big. As I thought more about it, I began to remember my own limitations, and I chose watermelon as my starting point. I enjoy eating them but had never successfully grown them, so it seemed to me to be a logical choice to develop a watermelon variety that was exactly what I wanted and needed, and which would actually grow and produce well for me. And I began that and feel good about the first year of progress. I have saved seed, and have a plan on how to plant a much larger area of watermelon next year, with changes made to reflect things I learned (did wrong).
At this point, I have again thought more about it, and I realize that from a food security viewpoint, watermelon won’t get me very far. Beans, of course, are valuable from a food security viewpoint, but they are not difficult to grow in my environment, so I just need to plant them and begin saving the seeds. They will sort themselves out. (Right?) The same with corn. It just grows here. Mostly.
Then there is squash. Until I joined this group, I never noticed that squash had other names besides Summer, Winter, and Zucchini. I want to begin my adapted squash journey, and I am stuck with analysis paralysis! Of course, I need zucchini. It is versatile, grows well, is productive, and I have family who love it. I prefer yellow crookneck, so add that. And it all already grows well for me, so I think it is just a matter of making sure I have enough genetics in the mix, and saving my own seed.
But Winter. I like many varieties of squash, but couldn’t really say I have a favorite. I haven’t got anything against any of them. Really, I enjoy most any squash. If it is less yummy, more butter and brown sugar fix most any problem. In the past, I have grown whatever seed I happened to pick at random that year, and it would wander off into the grass outside the garden, and surprise me in the fall with actual squash. But now I am seriously thinking about this. I want squash good for baking, and squash good for roasting. I feel like I need a large squash for family, but also smaller squash for just me. And pumpkins! Why are there pumpkins in all three species? I feel like I have room for one species of winter squash to start with, but how do I choose? Also, I’m going to have to grow squash for pepitas. So add that. Can this choice be made? Or do I need to adjust my thinking to accept that I have to make room for and grow five separate populations of squash?
How do you choose?