Step aside other squashes and pumpkins: butternut, acorn, delicata, pie, hokkaido, and friends; you're unwanted here. This large scaly light green-grey pumpkin is a Sweet Meat Squash.

Do not be afraid of its size and appearance. It's hands-down the most delicious squash. It's great for savory and sweet dishes, spiced or plain. Though the meat is thick, the seeds are plump and great for roasted snacks, too.

Look at that himbo

I try to get one or two (or three) every year, but sometimes they get wasted before I feel like using them or I leave them in a corner and forget entirely. They can be unwieldy to prep and take up a lot of fridge or freezer space once opened, so sometimes lesser squashes get preferred. This year I have two sweet meats, and the place to get more is closing for the season before I'll be back. Other varieties are also likely to appear in the house (there's already a red kuri, a pie pumpkin, and a few decorative [but still technically edible] squashes sitting around), but they won't resolve anything in this market.

The picture above is the big sweet meat, and it's big enough to make 2 full pots of soup, ~4 pies, a dozen or so large roasted slices as mains, or a mix of those and lighter dishes. I also have a second one that is modestly smaller that is hanging out front, tantalizing any local teens to cause trouble (not usually a problem). Please excuse the awful lighting and poor angles.

What will be made with these pumpkins? This stays open until the pumpkins have met their final fates, whether by flame or spoil, mischief or delight. Since they can make multiple dishes each, multiple can resolve YES. And since they make a lot of food and can last a long time even before freezing, most likely this market will end up being open through autumn and into early next year.

I'll try to photograph various stages of their journey, of course.

Feel free to add more options for my inspiration!