Ebony Acorn Squash (Table Queen)
Acorns are very popular winter squash: small enough for one or two people, with rich, moist, nutty flesh that is easily baked in either a microwave or conventional oven. Short, compact vines ripen several handsome small to mid-size squash. These are earlier than most other winter squash, but be aware that the sugars develop after the pigment in the skin. They turn dark green before they are really ripe. Don't pick them til the paler spot on the bottom turns orange, for full sweetness. If you, like me, have been disappointed by acorn squash from the store, that's probably why--they were picked too soon.
They are Cucurbita pepo, like zucchini and pumpkins, and ripen faster than the big maxima squashes. They are not the longest keepers, but they will last into the new year, after a minimal 2-week curing period. 30 seeds