Link: The Science Behind the Decorative Gourde Season

 

According to the Smithsonian, "For farmers, breeding for novelty has paid off. Between 1993 and 2007, prices for decorative gourds doubled, and in 2016, the world collectively grew more pumpkins, squash and gourds than corn or mushrooms." Amazing.

Dining out during COVID-19

 

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Restaurants are open at the moment with limited seating. Outdoor patios are popular and large heaters are extending the outdoor patio season. This local restaurant has a front wall composed of sliding glass panels. When the weather is right, the entire front of the restaurant is open. A prefect design for these days of COVID-19.

Our dinners, have just arrived, my wife is still wearing her mask as she sprinkles coarsely grated Parmesan cheese on her dinner. She will soon remove her mask to dine. Our waiter will always keep his mask on and no one will sit closer than about twelve feet away from us.

Unfortunately, the number of COVID-19 cases is soaring in the province and restaurants are facing the threat of another closure. Rather sad considering how truly safe this location seems to be. I do hope it can remain open.

Not quite a yellow brick road

 

It is not quite the yellow brick road of Wizard of Oz fame but it is still quite nice at this time of year. This street is but one bordered with Sunburst Honey Locust trees planted by the city some decades ago. The burst of colour does not last long. In fact, the leaves are already darkening, taking on a warm brown hue.

Speckled Swan Gourd

 

The well-named speckled swan gourd is a popular decorative gourd. Sometimes it is painted before being displayed. But it is pretty well never eaten. If a veggie is known as a gourd and not a squash, it is most likely considered inedible.

White pumpkins

 

Many white pumpkins are similar to the more well know orange variety in that these are edible as well. Apparently some white pumpkins are best used as a fall decoration but most are edible and delicious when baked om a manner similar to that used to cook other fall squash.

South western Ontario is farm country. Many areas have good topsoil, very rich. Team this with some of the best growing weather in Canada and one has great a land with great farming potential. Sadly, the good weather also attracts people and industry and this consumes land that many argue would be better used for farming. Send industry north, many argue.

Turk's turban heirloom squash -- maybe

 

These clearly two toned squashes are, I believe, all varieties of turk's turban heirloom winter squash. Many folk used these as fall decoration but if you should bake them, I understand they taste very much like the butternut and acorn squash with which we are all familiar.

Toad pumpkins are good carving pumpkins

 

It is officially fall and the weird pumpkins are beginning to appear. As a young boy I could never understand why so many pumpkins were grown and marketed simply for decoration. No one every ate these strange pumpkins. I decided it wasn't just pumpkins that were weird. Toad pumpkins, by the way, are excellent for carving.