Burgess Buttercup Squash

New England’s favorite winter squash, enjoyed for its sweet deep-orange flesh. Fruits, with an acorn-shaped button on the blossom end and flattened shoulders, average 3–4 lb with about 4 per plant. Stem is well dried when ripe. The original buttercup strain showed up in 1925 as a chance cross between Quality and Essex Hybrid in the trial garden at North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. After further selection by famous seedsman Albert Yaeger, Oscar H. Will of Bismarck introduced it in his 1931 catalog. Alan Kapuler has said, “If you pick only one squash to grow this is it.” Jean Kennedy of Little Red Barn Produce in Walton, OR, agrees: “Its texture is perfectly smooth, it has just the perfect sweetness and its flavor isn’t overly squashy. Could be used in any recipe for dessert or dinner.” Gene’s favorite winter squash: “Looking for the best combination of flavor, texture and yield, Burgess always comes out on top.”