Squash
Zucchini and Yellow Squash are grown on the DuBois Farms. Squashes originated in Mexico and Central America. There are four species of squash. In North America, squash is divided up into summer squash, winter squash, and autumn squash depending on whether they are harvested as mature or immature fruits.
Summer squashes, such as zucchini, pattypan and yellow crookneck, are harvested during the growing season, while the skin is still soft and the fruit pretty much small, they are eaten almost immediately and require little to no cooking.

Many parts of the squash plant are edible. Squash seeds can be eaten directly, ground into paste, or pressed for vegetable oil. The shoots, leaves, and tendrils can be eaten as greens. The blossoms are an important part of native American cooking and are also used in many other parts of the world.
Winter squashes are harvested when they are fully mature at the end of the summer. They are cured further to harden their skin. They are stored in a cool place to be eaten at a later date. These squash require a longer cooking time. Winter squash include pumpkins, butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, ambercup, acorn, and spaghetti squash.
Although not as potent as root vegetables like burdock, garlic or onion, squashes have been found to have anti-cancer type effects. In research studies, extracts from squash have also been found to help reduce symptoms of a condition occurring in men called benign prostatic hypertrophy, or BPH. In this condition, the prostate gland becomes problematically enlarged, which can cause difficulty with urinary and sexual function. Particularly in combination with other phytonutrient-containing foods, squash may be helpful in reducing BPH symptoms.

Squashes are actually not vegetables. They are fruits because they produce flowers. They produce pollen-bearing male flowers, and the ovary-bearing female flowers, which are both present on the same plant. Bees are required to transfer the pollen from the male flowers to the female flowers. The squash fruit develops out of the female flowers after they are pollinated. The US Department of Agriculture recommends using one bee hive for every acre of squash
Squash was one of the "Three Sisters" planted by Native Americans. The Three Sisters were the three main indigenous plants used for agriculture: maize (corn), beans, and squash. These were usually planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. The beans provided nitrogen fixing fertilizer for all three crops.